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

Unverified claims about two girls studying in Chitkara University triggered panic and unrest on the campus late Friday night, with hundreds of hostel students gathering and demanding clarification from the university management. The situation remained tense for nearly two hours before being brought under control by the police.

Chitkara University is located in Rajpura in Patiala district, close to the Patiala-Mohali district boundary.

The unrest began around 10.30 pm on Friday after an unverified message went viral among students. While one version claimed two girls were missing, another said they had died. The conflicting reports sent students rushing to confront university authorities, who were asked to show CCTV footage.

The situation turned tense after a large number of students gathered on the campus amid the rumours. The university called the police to control the situation. During the commotion, two police vehicles were damaged and an inspector, Ajay Kumar, was allegedly manhandled by some students. Additional police force was subsequently called to the campus to bring the situation under control.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Banur, Sukhdev Singh, said no one who had raised the alarm could identify the girls or confirm whether anyone was actually missing. “We have taken the complaint seriously and will inquire into the matter in detail. We will also check the university records to ascertain whether any student is actually missing,” he said.

The DSP said the situation was later brought under control. “I want to tell the parents that things are under control on the campus now and everyone is safe,” he said.

“The situation is calm. Two police vehicles have been damaged. Considering the students’ age, we are not taking action against them and will instead counsel them. Our investigation found nothing supporting the rumour of suicide or missing girls,” SHO (Banur) Gursewak Singh told The Indian Express.

Story continues below this ad

According to sources, an ambulance had arrived at the girls’ hostel on Thursday morning, causing confusion among students. Some girls had also been talking about a ghost in the hostel, and a priest had reportedly arrived at the hostel on Thursday afternoon.

“Nothing happened on the campus. The rumour travelled among the students. Everything is okay on the campus as of now,” University Registrar Col. Rakesh Sharma told media persons.

Gursewak Singh on Saturday said the rumours about ghosts and alleged incidents at the hostel had started on September 23 after some girls allegedly played a prank by creating horror sounds using a speaker inside the hostel from some undisclosed location.

“Eventually, checking of all rooms was conducted by the hostel warden, but nothing was found. However, the fear continued to grow among the students, with another rumour circulating that a suicide had taken place in the hostel a few years ago and that a spirit was visiting the hostel,” the SHO added.

Story continues below this ad

He said that on Friday, rumours about a suicide and missing girls began circulating on social media, triggering panic among students, many of whom came out of their hostels.

“We have held meetings with the students, addressed their concerns and told them there was no need to panic. Students were planning to organise another gathering on Saturday evening, but that has now been cancelled. Such pranks are common in hostels, but we have addressed the concerns of the students and will continue to keep a vigil on the campus as the safety of students is of utmost importance,” the SHO added.

In a statement evening on Saturday, Chitkara University stated that no suicide or death has taken place at the girls’ hostel, and the claims circulating on social media are false.

“The university has verified the facts concerning the incidents and would like to clarify that an ambulance did arrive at the hostel in the early hours of September 24 in connection with a student who had returned from the hospital. The student was brought back to the hostel at approximately 2.50 am. There was no death or suicide associated with this incident,” the statement added.

Story continues below this ad

The institute also clarified social media posts referring to the presence of a priest at the girls’ hostel, saying that he had come to the hostel at approximately 3 pm to meet his daughter, who is a student at the university.

“Chitkara University appeals to everyone to verify information through official and credible sources before sharing or amplifying claims, particularly when such claims concern the safety and well-being of students,” the statement added.

Despite the clarification, many students returned home on Saturday morning for a break and many parents were also seen arriving at the campus to pick up their children.