Phagwara, Traffic movement on the National Highway-44 in Punjab’s Phagwara, which had been blocked by the students of Lovely Professional University for over 15 hours, has been restored, police said on Monday, adding that the situation has been brought under control.
A heavy force led by ADGP M F Farooqui entered the campus late Sunday night, and a flag march, consisting of senior officers and other personnel, was taken out. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh, DIG Naveen Singla and Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora were among the officers who accompanied the force. They also clashed with police, who resorted to lathi charge, prompting the students to run towards the campus.
On Sunday evening, police were trying to evict the protesters blocking NH-44 outside the campus since 8 am, when some students threw water bottles at them.
The traffic movement on the national highway resumed in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, Jalandhar Police Commissioner Satinder Singh said, adding that the situation was peaceful. However, once inside, the students started to indiscriminately pelt stones at the police, the officials said. Police on Sunday said a rape case was registered against an unknown person on a complaint by the students, and an SIT has been formed to investigate the matter, even though the university described the claims of the crime taking place on the campus as “rumours”.
A police force remained deployed outside the LPU on Monday morning. Fresh violence erupted on Sunday evening after the protesting students pelted stones at police personnel and attacked their vehicles, leaving several cops injured, officials said.
