Police said the rape allegation has not been confirmed so far and that an investigation is underway to establish the facts.
Protests broke out at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab’s Phagwara late Saturday night after a social media message alleging that an outsider had raped a female student went viral.
The unrest began around 2 a.m., after which a large number of students gathered on campus and staged protests. Parts of the campus and the university gate were allegedly vandalised during the demonstrations.
A vehicle was also reportedly set on fire amid the unrest. The protesting students later blocked the Chandigarh–Amritsar National Highway, disrupting traffic in the area.
Kapurthala Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora reached the spot as police personnel were deployed to control the situation.