Phagwara LPU protest: NH-44 traffic restored, situation under control, say police

Traffic movement on the National Highway44 in Punjabs Phagwara which had been blocked by the students of Lovely Professional University LPU for over 15 hours has been restored police said on Monday adding that the situation has been brought under controlStudents of Lovely Professional University LPU in Phagwara went on a rampage on the campus on Sunday vandalising property and blocking a stretch of the New DelhiAmritsar highway outside their campus over claims that an outsider raped a female student on the university premisesThe traffic movement on the national highway resumed in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh said adding that the situation was peacefulA police force remained deployed outside the LPU on Monday morningSeveral students could be seen leaving the campus for their homes after LPU authorities suspended classes for 10 days starting Monday Midterm examinations have also been postponed until further noticeThe LPU also allowed students to go home during this period if they wish to do so and after consulting their parents or guardiansStudents who stay back are advised to stay inside their hostelsplaces of residence and avoid unnecessary movement or involvement in any unrest activities in the interest of their own safety it saidFresh violence erupted on Sunday evening after the protesting students pelted stones at police personnel and attacked their vehicles leaving several cops injured officials saidA heavy force led by ADGP M F Farooqui entered the campus late Sunday night and a flag march consisting of senior officers and other personnel was taken out Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh DIG Jalandhar Range Naveen Singla and Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora were among the officers who accompanied the forceOn Sunday evening police were trying to evict the protesters blocking NH44 outside the campus since 8 am when some students threw water bottles at them They also clashed with police who resorted to lathi charge prompting the students to run towards the campusHowever once inside the students started to indiscriminately pelt stones at the police the officials saidPolice on Sunday said a rape case was registered against an unknown person on a complaint by the students and an SIT has been formed to investigate the matter even though the university described the claims of the crime taking place on the campus as rumoursThe violence on LPU campus came a day after students of Chitkara University in Patiala allegedly set a police vehicle afire over unverified claims that two female students had committed suicide on the university premisesViral videos on social media also showed the protesters purportedly students damaging window panes and flower pots on campus and setting some objects on fire with cries of we want justice echoing in the backgroundThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever