Hundreds of students protested late Saturday night at the campus of Lovely Professional University (LPU) near Jalandhar in Punjab.
According to BBC associate journalist Pradeep Sharma, students have alleged that a student has been raped on the campus.
He alleged that the university was under pressure to hush up the matter immediately, due to which information about who the girl is is not available. He also raised questions on the police action.
In this matter, the university has issued a statement saying that these are all rumors and an attempt to tarnish the image of the institution.
Police say that they have not received any report or complaint regarding rape of any girl.
However, the police said that they are ready to investigate as per the request of the students, but first it should be told with whom and where the incident happened.
Recently, students in Chitkara University also protested over the news of a student committing suicide.
However, in this case also the university says that 'these are all rumors and nothing like this has happened in the university.'
What are students saying?
Videos of a large number of students gathering and protesting against this incident are also surfacing on social media.
According to a report in the English newspaper Indian Express, the student protests turned violent by Sunday morning.
Students allege that the girl who was raped is missing.
Students are asking, "If they are not safe in their hostel rooms, then what security does the university talk about and why does it even charge for it?"
The students also questioned the police action and said, "The police are just moving us from here to there. Now they are saying that they will investigate."
(Suicide is a serious mental and social problem. If you are also under stress, you can take help on the Jeevan Aastha helpline of the Government of India 18002333330. You should also talk to your friends and relatives.)
What did the police say?
Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla while talking to the media said, "FIR is being registered. Students have some more demands, regarding which a meeting has been scheduled with the university management at 12 noon."
"He has only written that there was a girl living in G-3 hostel who was raped, the name of the girl is not known yet. The FIR has been registered in the name of an unknown person."
Speaking to the media, Phagwara SP Major Singh, who was present at the spot, said, "A girl from the agriculture department of the university had committed suicide 4-5 days ago and we had called her parents."
"The post-mortem was conducted as per rules, after which the body was handed over to his parents," he said.
"Now some things are being raised that rape has taken place. We do not have any complaint. If rape has taken place, then with which girl, in which hostel it happened, which boy did it...this complaint should come to us."
"We are saying that if something like this has happened, then tell us which girl it happened to. We will investigate, get her medically examined. The boy who has done this will be found."
While the police officer was talking to the media, some students standing near him were heard on camera alleging that 'the girl is missing'.
The university called it a 'rumour'
Speaking to reporters, LPU Vice Chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh Sandhu said, "Based on the allegations of the students, the police have registered an FIR. All necessary cooperation will be provided. Five students have been included in the SIT investigating."
"If the incident is found to be true, appropriate legal action will be taken. There were some other demands too, which were related to logistics. Our administrative officials will sit and discuss them. I was not even aware of this incident."
Earlier, in an official statement issued by the university, Dr Saurabh Lakhanpal, Executive Dean of the University's Student Welfare Wing, said, "LPU completely rejects false and fabricated news and rumours."
He said, "It has come to the notice of the university that some anti-social elements are spreading false and baseless rumors on social media. Due to this, the university termed it as 'rumour', creating confusion and also spoiling the academic environment."
“The manner in which this false and misleading information is being spread appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the university.”
"The University clarifies that there is no truth in all these rumours. Students, teachers, parents and the general public are requested not to promote or spread them. Rely only on official information provided by the University."
While talking to the media, the executive dean of the university said that they are not giving any information about the girl about whom the students are talking.
