Lovely Professional University’s (LPU) Uni Mall in Phagwara witnessed extensive damage after protests turned violent on the intervening night of September 26 and 27.
Several shops suffered vandalism and theft. Electronics, mobile phones, laptops, gaming consoles, perfumes and cash were among the items taken from stores.
However, one part of the mall remained largely untouched. The book and stationery shops showed little damage despite the widespread destruction around them.
PS5s, Phones and Cash Among Items Stolen
Shopkeepers told The Lallantop that people looted several stores during the unrest. Sony PlayStation 5 consoles, smartphones, laptops and electronic accessories were among the missing items.
One store manager said thieves took around Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh in cash. He estimated the store’s total losses at Rs 80-90 lakh.
The estimated inventory loss alone stood at around Rs 70-80 lakh, according to the manager.
Premium perfumes also disappeared from the stores. Shopkeepers said the missing brands included Prada and Armani. Some perfumes reportedly cost between Rs 15,000 and Rs 17,000.
Videos circulating on social media also showed people carrying merchandise from the mall. One video showed a person carrying a PlayStation 5. Another showed a man carrying a Lenovo laptop box.
Phones Left for Repair Also Stolen
Electronics shops suffered significant losses during the incident.
One shopkeeper said thieves took new phones, second-hand phones and devices that customers had left for repair.
He also reported the theft of around Rs 2 lakh in cash. Mobile accessories, headphones, cables and other electronic products also disappeared.
The shopkeeper estimated his total loss at more than Rs 50 lakh.
Thieves also damaged repair equipment. A microscope alone cost around Rs 70,000, according to the shopkeeper.
CCTV Equipment and Servers Targeted
The damage went beyond retail goods.
Shopkeepers said people also took servers, laptops, DVRs and other surveillance equipment. At one store, someone removed a 512 GB memory card from a CCTV camera.
The shopkeeper said the person appeared to know where the camera stored its footage.
Police and the university are examining CCTV footage and other evidence to identify those involved.
Bookstores Remained Untouched
The condition of the bookshops stood out amid the destruction.
People ransacked electronics stores and damaged several other outlets. Yet the book and stationery shops reportedly remained intact.
A person at the mall told to the reporter that the looters left the books because they did not consider them useful.
The contrast quickly drew attention on social media. Several users shared images and videos showing untouched bookshops next to damaged stores.
Who Was Involved in the LPU Mall Looting?
The identity of everyone involved remains unclear.
Some LPU students have alleged that outsiders took part in the violence. However, the available information does not establish that all the people involved were outsiders.
The university said it had placed around 30-40 students under scrutiny. Officials are reviewing CCTV footage and other material to determine their possible involvement.
LPU Dean of Student Welfare Prof Sourabh Lakhanpal also alleged that outsiders participated in the violence. He referred to videos showing masked people carrying rods.
Authorities have not yet established whether a wider conspiracy existed.
How the LPU Protest Turned Violent
The violence followed protests at the LPU campus after claims about the alleged sexual assault of a female student began circulating.
Students gathered in large numbers after the allegations spread on social media.
LPU rejected the allegations as “false, baseless and fabricated”.
Police later registered a case following a complaint. They also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations and the violence.
The unrest also affected traffic on the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of NH-44.
The investigation into the violence, vandalism and alleged looting remains underway.
