India, Sept. 27 -- Massive protests erupted at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab's Phagwara in the early hours of Sunday after unverified reports of the alleged rape of a female student circulated on social media.

The protest escalated into vandalism on the university campus, with students damaging property and later blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway, police said.

Police initially said they had not received any complaint confirming the alleged rape. However, Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Naveen Singla later said police had received the woman's statement and registered an FIR against unidentified persons while investigating the allegations.

Singla said students began protesting around 2 am a...