States » NorthPosted at: Oct 1 2026 5:52PM


LPU violence: Pizza delivery worker among three held

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 1 (UNI) Punjab Police have arrested three people for their alleged involvement in violence and vandalism at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara last week, when protests erupted after claims of a sexual assault on a female student circulated on social media, police said.
Police identified the accused as Gagan, James Dahiya, and Abhi, all residents of the Phagwara area. Police identified them with the help of digital evidence and produced them before a local court, which remanded them to police custody for three days for further questioning.
According to information provided by the family, James is an LPU student, while Gagan worked as a pizza delivery worker.
An official at Satnampura police station confirmed that three accused have been arrested in connection with the case but said the investigating officer had not disclosed further details about their alleged individual roles.
Police are investigating the violence that erupted on the night of Sept. 26 after social media posts claimed that a female student living in an LPU hostel had been sexually assaulted by an outsider and that the university administration had failed to act.
The claim triggered protests involving a large number of students. Property on the university campus was damaged, and shops at Uni Mall were vandalised amid the unrest. Protesters also blocked National Highway-44 on the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch for several hours, severely disrupting traffic.
Police have registered four FIRs in connection with the violence and constituted an eight-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incidents.
Investigators have been examining CCTV footage and other digital evidence to identify those allegedly involved in vandalism and other offences.
A relative of Gagan, however, questioned the manner in which he was taken into custody, saying the family had not initially been informed about the case against him.
"We were not told in which case Gagan had been taken away. He had been missing since yesterday, and we came to know about his arrest only when he called before being produced in court," Gagan's maternal uncle said.
He said Gagan had no previous criminal case against him and had started working as a pizza delivery worker about a month and a half ago.
The unrest followed unverified claims about a sexual assault at the university. A student who was being linked on social media to the alleged incident subsequently released a video saying she was safe and that no such incident had happened to her.
Authorities have also acted against social media material they described as misleading or fabricated, including AI-generated content circulated during the unrest.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a detailed status report from the Punjab government and police on the episode, including the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault and the subsequent violence. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on Oct. 8.
The university suspended classes for 10 days following the unrest and postponed mid-semester examinations, allowing students to return home.
Police said further investigation into the violence and the role of other individuals was continuing.
UNI NB AAB
Tags: #LPU violence: Pizza delivery worker among three held
More News

Himachal: Bilaspur Dy Comm holds review meeting regarding preparations for Prez's proposed visit

01 Oct 2026 | 6:56 PM

Hamirpur, Oct 1 (UNI) Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar today chaired a review meeting at the Zila Parishad Hall ahead of President Droupadi Murmu's proposed one-day visit to Bilaspur district on October 6.

see more..

Haryana Police impound 708 end-of-life vehicles in Gurugram during month-long anti-pollution drive

01 Oct 2026 | 6:53 PM

Panchkula, Oct 1 (UNI) Haryana Police impounded 708 end-of-life vehicles in Gurugram during September as part of a special enforcement drive aimed at curbing vehicular pollution and enforcing restrictions on ageing vehicles, a police spokesman said here on Thursday.

see more..

Panchkula pushes Abha IDs to expand digital health access, officials asked to enrol families

01 Oct 2026 | 6:51 PM

Panchkula, Oct 1 (UNI) The Panchkula administration on Thursday stepped up efforts to expand digital health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, asking government officials and employees to create ABHA IDs for themselves and their family members.

see more..

Himachal: Section 163 prohibitory order issued in connection with President's visit to Bilaspur

01 Oct 2026 | 6:43 PM

Hamirpur, Oct 1 (UNI) Keeping in mind the law and order situation and human safety ahead of the proposed visit of the President of India to Bilaspur district on October 6, District Magistrate Rahul Kumar has issued a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code, 2023.

see more..

UP Govt’s ‘One District, One Cuisine’ initiative gains new momentum through Global Market Integration

01 Oct 2026 | 6:29 PM

Lucknow, Oct 1 (UNI) The ‘One District, One Cuisine’ (ODOC) initiative not only effectively showcased the unique culinary identities of the state's 75 districts to a national and global audience at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) but also opened a new chapter of partnerships with major business entities and prestigious technical and regulatory institutions.

see more..