Sunny Khurma
Cheif Editor
Jalandhar, September 30, 2026: Lovely Professional University founder-chancellor and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal has broken his silence over the recent unrest at the university, strongly denying allegations that a female student was raped on the LPU campus and claiming that the violence surrounding the controversy was part of a larger conspiracy against the institution.
Mittal made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's programme in Jalandhar on Wednesday. He described the sexual assault allegation circulated around the campus as completely false and said the subsequent unrest was intended to damage the reputation of LPU and Punjab. These are Mittal's claims and have not yet been established by the ongoing investigation.
The controversy erupted after social media messages circulated among students alleging that a female student had been sexually assaulted on the university campus. The claims triggered large protests, with students gathering near the hostel area and later blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of National Highway 44. Parts of the protest subsequently turned violent, with university property and vehicles damaged.
LPU management had earlier denied the allegation, describing the claims circulating online as false and fabricated. University officials also appealed to students and parents not to rely on unverified social-media posts.
Punjab Police, however, registered an FIR against an unidentified person following statements from students and constituted a Special Investigation Team to examine the allegation. Police officials said investigators would examine material including CCTV footage, forensic evidence and call records before reaching a conclusion.
The issue has now also reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On September 30, the court sought a detailed status report from the Punjab government asking it to clarify whether the incident referred to in the social-media post had actually occurred and what action authorities had taken afterward.
During the hearing, the Punjab government told the court that the matter remained under investigation and that it was not in a position at this stage to conclusively state that the alleged incident had not taken place. The case is scheduled to come up for further hearing on October 8.
Mittal also alleged that people from outside the university were involved in the unrest and described the episode as an organised attempt to disturb the atmosphere at LPU. Similar claims have also been raised in a petition before the High Court, but responsibility for the violence and the circumstances behind it remain matters for investigation.
The latest statement from Mittal therefore represents the university founder's position on the controversy rather than a final investigative finding. Police inquiries and the High Court proceedings are continuing, and an official conclusion on the central allegation has yet to be reached.
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