LPU row escalates: Stones pelted, vehicles set on fire as police lathicharge students

PHAGWARA: The protest by Lovely Professional University students over an unverified rape claim turned violent on Sunday evening after the protesters refused to lift the road blockade, prompting police to resort to lathicharge around 8pm.Students allegedly pelted stones at the police during the confrontation, in which some police personnel and students sustained injuries.The confrontation came after students had continued blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway despite repeated efforts to resolve the standoff.The blockade had caused major traffic disruption on the highway, with long queues of vehicles reported during the day.The unrest at LPU began early Sunday after unverified reports circulated on social media claiming that a female student had been raped on the campus.Police had said they learnt about the claim only after reaching the university and described the reports as rumours.Students had also damaged property on the campus, with videos showing broken window panes and flower pots and some objects…