Sunny Khurma
Cheif Editor
Chandigarh, September 30, 2026: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a detailed status report from the Punjab government over the recent violence, vandalism and arson at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, with the court specifically asking authorities to clarify the facts behind the social-media post that preceded the unrest.
The matter came before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor on a public interest petition filed by LPU student Ravi Raj.
The petitioner has sought an independent investigation into the violence that erupted around the university campus following the circulation of allegations on social media.
During the hearing, the High Court directed the Punjab government to submit a report clarifying whether the incident referred to in the social-media post of September 26 had actually taken place.
The court also sought details of the action taken by authorities after the post began circulating.
If the alleged incident did occur, the government has been asked to explain what steps were taken in response. If investigators find that the claim was incorrect, the report will have to explain what action was taken to remove the post, trace its origin and deal with its further circulation.
The status report is to be submitted under the signature of the concerned Commissioner of Police.
The Punjab government informed the court that the matter remains under investigation and that authorities are not yet in a position to give a final conclusion regarding the allegation that triggered the unrest.
The controversy began after a social-media post circulated among students containing an allegation of sexual assault on the university campus.
The claim led to protests that later escalated into violence, vandalism and arson. Vehicles and property were damaged during the unrest, while the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of the national highway was also affected.
Police subsequently strengthened security around the campus and began investigating both the original allegation and the violence that followed.
A Special Investigation Team has also been constituted to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.
The petition before the High Court has raised questions over how the viral social-media claim was handled, how the subsequent violence unfolded and whether an independent investigation is required.
At this stage, the High Court has not ordered a CBI investigation.
The court has instead sought the Punjab government's detailed status report before considering the matter further.
The next hearing has been fixed for October 8, 2026.
The case is expected to provide greater clarity on two key questions: whether the allegation circulated on social media had any factual basis, and what action authorities took to prevent unverified information from contributing to further unrest.
Until the investigation and judicial proceedings are completed, the allegations circulating online should not be treated as established facts.
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