LPU Protest: Clashes Erupt Over Rape Rumours, Cops Attacked And Vehicle Torched

Tension escalated at Lovely Professional University in Punjab following unrest triggered by rumours of rape. Protesting students clashed with law enforcement personnel on campus, resulting in stone pelting, arson, and damage to several vehicles, including media and police vehicles. Heavy projectiles were thrown at officers in riot gear, prompting police to deploy mild lathi charge to push back crowds. Protesters torched a Punjab Police vehicle as smoke billowed across the campus. The university administration denied the allegations of rape, stating that no such incident occurred, while an FIR has been registered and a Special Investigation Team constituted. Senior police officers, including Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora, arrived on the ground to take stock of the situation as additional forces were mobilised across university hostels to restore order.

In an exclusive conversation on India Today, filmmaker Meghna Gulzar and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran discussed their film Dhaira and its exploration of uncomfortable societal questions surrounding crimes against women, judicial delays, and extrajudicial encounter killings. Reflecting on public outrage and the growing demand for instant justice, Meghna Gulzar noted, "Hesitating to talk about it is not going to make it go away." Addressing the dilemma between the rule of law and vigilante justice, she clarified that her intent was not to advocate encounter culture, stating, "I don't believe that we need to become a banana republic and that our police should become trigger-happy." Prithviraj Sukumaran explained his character Raman as an argument reflecting societal frustration with an overburdened judicial system facing millions of pending cases. Gulzar highlighted how the narrative confronts moral gray zones, juvenile justice laws post-Nirbhaya, and the complex reality of justice delivery in India today.

A political controversy has emerged over allegations concerning the Chief Election Commissioner. A former Kerala Chief Secretary alleged that during a flight to Delhi in 2016, the official advised him to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket, an offer he stated he rejected. The opposition has questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission and demanded the resignation of the poll body chief following reports regarding internal rifts. Meanwhile, the ruling party dismissed the claims as fabricated, questioning why the allegations surfaced after an entire decade and raising doubts over the timing of the disclosure.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following allegations by former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson. Thomson claimed that in 2016, Gyanesh Kumar advised him during a flight to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket, win, and become a minister. Speaking on the revelations, Priyanka Gandhi termed the alleged action illegal, unconstitutional, and unethical, questioning how individuals actively propagating party leanings can oversee fair elections. The controversy comes amid wider opposition scrutiny and ongoing friction within the Election Commission, with Congress leaders warning that protests demanding the poll chief's resignation will escalate in the coming weeks.