Jalandhar, Sept. 30 -- Following violent unrest that swept Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab Police have registered three first information reports (FIRs) against an unidentified mob of students and constituted an eight-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe coordinated acts of arson, robbery, and attempt to murder. Internet services in the area were restored after a 24-hour blackout as security personnel maintained a heavy presence on campus. Authorities barred outsiders and mediapersons, enforcing strict security checks at entry gates. The violence erupted on Sunday noon following unverified reports alleging that an outsider had raped a female student. A masked mob vandalised university property, set campus buildings ablaze, and torched police vehicles. Protesters hurled stones and glass bottles at cops before moving onto the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway (NH-44), blocking the key artery for nearly 12 hours before traffic resumed past midnight. The FIRs, accessed by HT, were registered on September 28 on complaints filed by on-duty police personnel under BNS Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant), Section 221 (obstructing a public servant), Section 309 (robbery), and Sections 324 and 326 (mischief and property damage). Two FIRs were lodged at the Sadar police station in Phagwara, while a third was registered at the Satnampura police station in Kapurthala district. Additional charges were pressed under the National Highways Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act. Kapurthala police had earlier registered a rape case under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unidentified suspects, though the identity of the alleged victim has not yet been established. To investigate the rampage, authorities formed an eight-member SIT headed by Phagwara superintendent of police Major Singh, comprising three SP-rank officers. Investigators suspect outside elements played a major role in instigating the unrest. "Preliminary findings indicate that several key participants in the violence were university alumni living in private rentals outside the campus, many hailing from other states," said a senior police official privy to the probe. Kapurthala police officials met Sorabh Lakhanpal, executive dean and head of student welfare at LPU, for digital records and administrative support. The SIT has sought footage from the university's network of roughly 5,500 CCTV cameras, alongside dedicated technical personnel to scan digital databases. Authorities have also sought an administrative liaison, the submission of student grievance committee members' list, and full staff availability, barring any employee resignations or unexplained absences throughout the inquiry. "The university management has been directed to provide all these details to the SIT for a smooth and impartial probe," said another senior police official involved in the investigation. He added that the police have already started the process of identifying the students based on technical evidence gathered from the spot by police's technical and cyber cell teams. Cyber units are currently cross-referencing video recordings, surveillance logs, and viral social media reels to identify masked instigators, said the official quoted above. "We are rummaging through every single detail to carry out the probe in a professional manner," Kapurthala senior superintendent of police Gaurav Toora said. "We have gathered some important leads about those involved in arson and rampage. Given the sensitive nature of the case, further specifics cannot be disclosed at this stage," the SSP added....