LPU Violence Case: Punjab Police Arrest 8 Across Five States, Search Continues for Others

Punjab Police have expanded their investigation into the violence at Lovely Professional University (LPU) by carrying out searches and arrests across several parts of the country. So far, eight people have been arrested, including six students and two people who were not enrolled as students, in connection with the violence, alleged looting and attacks on police personnel during protests on the university campus.

According to police, the accused have been traced to different locations, including Punjab, Mumbai, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The arrests are part of a wider investigation into the events that unfolded at the LPU campus and surrounding areas last week.

The police have also apprehended a minor B.Tech student from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. Investigators said the student was allegedly the same person whose photograph standing on a decommissioned MiG fighter aircraft displayed at the university had gone viral on social media. Police said the student was picked up after a raid at his house in Mandi and that the photograph was reportedly being used as his phone wallpaper.

Another student, identified as Mohammed Farhat, who is also a social media influencer from Jammu's Kishtwar, managed to escape before police could reach him in Doda, where he was reportedly staying with relatives. Police said they are investigating his alleged involvement in the campus vandalism.

Four people were arrested on Thursday, while the remaining arrests were made on Friday. Among those arrested on Friday were Antriksh Dutta and Sahil Singh from Jammu, along with Krishna Kumar Rajesh and Bhavishya Karan from Maharashtra's Mumbai and Kalyan areas, respectively, according to Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla.

Earlier, police had arrested James Dahiya, a Sonipat resident and social media influencer, and Ashutosh from Hamirpur. Two other people arrested were Gagandeep and Jasmeet Kumar, both residents of Phagwara who work at different pizza outlets located on or near the university campus.

Police allege that Gagandeep, James and Jasmeet reached the campus after learning about the violence and were subsequently involved in alleged looting. The three were produced before a local court on Friday and were sent to three-day police custody.

The investigation is being led with the help of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). According to DIG Naveen Singla, the SIT has examined CCTV footage from LPU and other locations, videos broadcast by news channels, social-media posts and other technical evidence to identify people allegedly involved in the violence.

Police said that 20 people have so far been identified and named in the cases. Several police teams are conducting raids in different states in an effort to locate the remaining accused.

The police investigation has also distinguished between the alleged roles of different accused. According to police, Krishna and Prem have been named in connection with violence, while Ashutosh has been linked to allegations involving attacks on police personnel and obstruction of public servants from performing their duties. Police have also alleged that Dahiya was involved in campus vandalism and social-media activity surrounding the protests.

However, police have not specified an individual role for the minor student from Mandi beyond linking him to the viral MiG photograph. Officials have stated that the specific role of each accused remains subject to investigation and legal proceedings.

In total, four FIRs have been registered in connection with the case. One FIR, registered on September 28 at Satnampura police station, invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act in connection with alleged rioting, robbery, property damage and violence inside the university, including the Uni Mall area.

Another FIR, registered the same day at Sadar Phagwara police station, concerns alleged attacks on police personnel, obstruction of public servants while performing their duties and damage to vehicles during efforts to control the violence.

The protests began on September 27 around 2 am, after social-media claims circulated on Reddit alleging that an LPU girl student had been sexually assaulted by an outsider and that the university administration had failed to act. The allegations triggered protests on the campus, which later spread to NH-44, where traffic remained blocked for more than 18 hours.

The situation subsequently escalated, with police alleging incidents of stone-pelting, vandalism, looting of shops in Uni Mall, damage to university property and arson. Police said they initially exercised restraint because they did not want to take coercive action against students. According to the DIG, police intervened after protesters allegedly began throwing stones and bottles at police personnel and media representatives and damaging vehicles.

Meanwhile, police are still investigating the original sexual-assault allegation that triggered the protests. The alleged victim has not yet been traced, and police said they have not been able to establish that the alleged sexual assault took place.

Officials said statements from several girls have been recorded, while police have also questioned hostel wardens and sent a team to the relevant hostel area as part of the investigation.

Police are also examining the possible presence and involvement of outsiders during the unrest. According to DIG Singla, LPU has developed an ecosystem beyond its enrolled students, with former students running businesses and working at shops on the campus. Police are investigating whether people connected to the university through such networks participated in the violence.

The police have said that students should be approached through negotiation and compassion, while those found responsible for law-and-order violations will face action under the law. The investigation remains ongoing, with police teams continuing their efforts to identify and arrest the remaining accused.