‘Two girls missing, priest at hostel’: Ghost rumours trigger panic at Chitkara University

Unverified claims about two girls missing at Chitkara University sparked panic among students late Friday night. Hundreds of hostel residents gathered, demanding clarification from university officials. The tense situation persisted for nearly two hours before being calmed by police intervention. The unrest started around 10:30 PM after a false message spread among students via social media.

One claim suggested the girls were missing, while another reported they had died. These conflicting reports led students to confront university authorities, asking for CCTV footage to verify the situation. The atmosphere grew tense as thousands of students crowded the campus, leading the university to call in additional police force.

During the commotion, two police vehicles were damaged, and an inspector was reportedly mistreated by students. Chitkara University, located in Rajpura, Patiala district, is near the Patiala-Mohali boundary. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sukhdev Singh confirmed that no one could confirm whether the girls were missing or confirm any incident.

The campus was declared safe, with no evidence supporting the ghost or missing girl rumors. The university clarified that an ambulance had arrived at the girls' hostel on Thursday morning due to a student returning from the hospital, not because of a suicide or missing girls. A priest had visited the hostel to meet his daughter, also a student at the university.

University officials urged students to verify information through official sources before spreading rumors, particularly concerning student safety.