LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Authorities in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province shut all schools and universities for two days on Friday in an attempt to contain the spread of protests by students over an alleged on-campus rape. The closures in Pakistan’s most populous province affect an estimated 18 million students.

The Punjab government in Pakistan has shut down all educational institutions for three days and arrested over 600 students amid protests over an alleged on-campus rape. Authorities claim it was fake news,

The government of Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab has banned all public gatherings and closed educational institutions as more protests against an alleged on-campus rape of a college student in Lahore are expected on Friday.

Pakistani police fired tear gas and charged at student protesters who ransacked a college building Thursday, as anger spread over an alleged on-campus rape, prompting the government to shut schools, colleges and universities for two days.

Authorities in Punjab, Pakistan, closed educational institutions following violent student protests over an alleged on-campus rape. Despite official denials of the incident, social media fueled tensions.

Authorities in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province shut all schools and universities for two days on Friday in to contain the spread of protests by students over an alleged on-campus rape. The closures in Pakistan’s most populous province affect an estimated 18 million students.