Chandigarh, October 12, 2026: The investigation into the violence at Lovely Professional University came under closer scrutiny before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday, with the bench questioning the manner in which police examined the circumstances surrounding a disputed social-media message that had circulated among students before unrest broke out on the campus.
The court’s attention was particularly drawn to an 18-year-old first-year student who had allegedly forwarded the message on social media. The communication contained serious claims involving students at the university, but those claims have not been established as facts during the investigation.
During the hearing, the Punjab government informed the court that the student had not created the message herself and had merely forwarded material received through social media. The state also indicated that investigators had so far not found evidence suggesting criminal intent on her part.
The bench, however, questioned whether the inquiry had gone far enough to determine the original source of the message. The court wanted to know whether investigators had properly examined how the information reached the student, who sent it to her and whether another person could have played a role in spreading the claims.
Questions were also raised after investigation-related material was placed before the court in a sealed cover. On examining the documents, the bench noted that the student’s statement did not appear to be part of the material presented before it.
The absence of the statement prompted the court to seek greater clarity from the state over the questioning carried out during the investigation. The bench indicated that merely establishing that a message had been forwarded would not be sufficient when the information was followed by serious unrest on a university campus.
The court’s focus is now on tracing the origin and movement of the disputed information rather than drawing conclusions solely from its eventual circulation among students. Investigators are expected to establish where the message began, how it spread and whether any individual deliberately attempted to use students or social-media accounts to amplify unverified claims.
The violence at LPU had followed growing tension among students after messages and allegations began circulating online. Protests were subsequently reported on the campus, with the situation later escalating into clashes and damage to property.
The state has maintained during the proceedings that the original allegations circulating through social media were not substantiated during the inquiry. The High Court, however, has emphasised the need for investigators to establish how such information emerged and whether the events that followed could have been prevented through a more thorough examination at an earlier stage.
The case reached the High Court through proceedings seeking judicial intervention over the violence and the subsequent investigation. Questions relating to the handling of the unrest, police response, damage to property and the origin of the social-media claims are being examined as part of the broader matter.
At this stage, the court has not held the student or any other individual guilty of causing the violence. The observations made during the hearing relate to the adequacy and direction of the investigation, while criminal responsibility, if any, will depend on evidence gathered by investigators and the legal process that follows.
The Punjab government is expected to provide further material and clarification as the matter proceeds before the High Court.
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