In the high-profile case involving heavy ruckus and protests at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus on 26 September, the Punjab Police has cleared the air by filing an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. A detailed investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police revealed that no incident of rape took place inside the university premises or the girls hostel. The police informed the High Court that the entire incident was merely the result of a false rumor, based on which students created massive turmoil and agitation inside the campus.
Following the completion of the thorough investigation, the Punjab Police is now preparing to file a closure report in the court regarding this matter. To reach the bottom of the case and unearth the truth, the SIT recorded detailed statements of more than 50 people, including girl students of the university girls hostel, security guards, and administrative staff. Digital surveillance and CCTV footage of the campus and hostel for the day of the incident and several preceding days were minutely examined by the investigating authorities.
After conducting a comprehensive digital and forensic investigation, the police didn't find any direct or indirect evidence of rape or any kind of sexual harassment. The Punjab Police stated in its affidavit to the High Court that the violent protest and agitation by students on the 26 September at the LPU campus was triggered by a baseless rumor. On that day, a false news of an unpleasant incident involving a female student in the hostel spread rapidly across social media and messaging platforms.
Without verifying the authenticity of the claims, hundreds of students came out onto the roads and engaged in heavy sloganeering and vandalism against the police and university administration inside the campus. While submitting the status report to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the police explicitly stated that no existence of a crime was found during the probe, while the police will now officially submit a closure report in the concerned lower court to legally close this case. On top of that, the police are also identifying elements who spread these rumors and broadcasted fake news during the incident.