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LPU students question video as campus controversy deepens (Img: IANS)
Jalandhar: Amid continuing agitation and controversy, Lovely Professional University (LPU) on Monday reiterated that its campus is safe and normal activities have resumed, even as fresh questions were raised over a video released by the university during the protests.
After normalcy returned, a joint meeting was held involving the university administration, civil and police authorities, and student representatives. According to LPU, students during the meeting said the unrest was mainly triggered by outsiders who allegedly entered the campus illegally.
The university said the matter was being investigated and that appropriate action would be taken as per the law. It also said it had reviewed information circulating on social media and strongly rejected what it described as baseless and false claims.
LPU appealed to students, parents and the wider community to trust only on verified information. The university also praised students who countered the misinformation on social platforms and media. LPU termed them false claims, saying their response demonstrated the maturity and responsibility of the student community.
The statement came a day after LPU released a video featuring Registrar Dr Monica Gulati and three female students from Room No. 504 of the hostel.
In the video, the students said no such incident had taken place in their room and that they had been staying there for around two months. One student asked fellow students and police not to harass them, while another said they would involve their parents if they were troubled. The third student also asked police not to repeatedly visit their room.
At the end of the video, Gulati said the incident appeared to involve “anti-social elements and individuals with vested interests" and alleged that a conspiracy was being carried out to tarnish the university’s reputation through false and fabricated rumours.
On Monday, however, the three students gave a different account, alleging that the university had not obtained their consent before publishing the video. They also claimed they faced abuse and harassment after its release and alleged that the video had been cropped. These claims have not been independently verified.
The controversy began following reports and social media claims concerning the alleged rape of a female student, triggering protests that later turned violent, with reports of stone-pelting, damage to university property and disruption on the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway.
The university has maintained that several claims online were false and unverified, while police continue to investigate the allegations and circumstances surrounding the protests.
