The Punjab and Haryana High Court, sitting in Chandigarh, issued a summons to Punjab Police on 30 September, questioning whether a rape incident actually took place on the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus in Phagwara.
The query followed a wave of protests that erupted after a Reddit post dated 26 September alleged a sexual assault by an outsider. The post sparked arson, looting, and a blockade of the Delhi‑Amritsar National Highway.
Ravi Raj, an LPU student, filed the PIL seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the arson and looting. The PIL also prompted the High Court to request a status report from the police on the online post that allegedly fueled the unrest.
Punjab officials informed the court that a case had already been registered and that they were liaising with the reddit platform to identify the source of the controversial post. However, investigators have not yet ascertained if a sexual assault actually occurred.
Fire and looting left the campus in disarray. In the meantime, the Punjab Police filed FIR No. 105 at the Sadar Phagwara police station on 28 September, naming unidentified students and non‑students for their role in blocking the highway. The FIR cites video evidence and promises action against those identified.
The campus remains on high alert, with regular classes suspended for ten days. A student, Anika Patel, told reporters she was terrified to return after witnessing the fire. The High Court’s demand for a police status report sets the stage for a potential CBI investigation and will likely trigger a formal review of campus security protocols.