Phagwara (Gurpreet Singh): Nine people have been arrested in connection with the violent unrest that broke out at Lovely Professional University (LPU) on September 26 after a message circulated widely among students, triggering anger and protests on the campus.
According to police, the situation escalated as groups of students allegedly damaged vehicles, attacked police personnel and media workers, and set several vehicles on fire during the disturbance.
DIG Navin Singla said during a press conference that the police initially did not use a lathi-charge. He said the situation changed after protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting and vehicles were set ablaze, following which police moved in to disperse the crowd and restore order.
SSP Gaurav Tura and SIT in-charge Vaneet Ahlawat were also present at the briefing.
Police said two of the arrested accused were taken into custody in Phagwara, while others were traced to Jammu and Mumbai. Investigators have so far identified 20 people in connection with the case and named them in the FIR.
Of the nine arrested so far, seven have been identified as students of the university, while the remaining two are believed by police to be outsiders.
The investigation is continuing as authorities examine the events that led to the unrest and the alleged acts of violence and property damage. Further arrests could follow as police verify the involvement of those named in the case.
