Unverified social media claims sparked protests at two separate universities in Punjab within days, creating panic among students and parents. The incidents took place at Chitkara University near Rajpura in Patiala district and Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara.
Although the rumours surrounding the two campuses were different, both incidents followed a similar pattern: messages spread through social media, students demanded answers from university authorities, and the situation escalated into protests and clashes with police. Authorities and university officials later rejected several claims as false, while police began examining the allegations and the violence that followed.
What Happened at Chitkara University?
The unrest at Chitkara University began around 10.30 p.m. on Friday after unverified messages circulated among students. One version claimed that two female students were missing, while another alleged that two girls had died by suicide inside a hostel.
The rumours intensified after some students said they had heard screams from the girls’ hostel. Other messages referred to an ambulance arriving at the hostel and the alleged presence of a priest. As the claims spread through WhatsApp and other social media groups, hundreds of hostel residents gathered and demanded an explanation from the university administration.
Students reportedly asked the authorities to show CCTV footage and clarify whether anyone was missing or had been harmed. The university called the police after the gathering became tense.
Police teams from Banur, Rajpura Sadar and Rajpura City reached the campus. During the unrest, two police vehicles were damaged, with their windscreens and windows allegedly smashed. A police officer was also reportedly manhandled during the confrontation. Additional police personnel were sent to the campus before the situation was brought under control.
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Police Find no Missing Students
Banur Deputy Superintendent of Police Sukhdev Singh said the students who raised the alarm could not provide the names, photographs, roll numbers or other identifying details of the alleged missing girls.
Police checked the university records and carried out a verification exercise. According to the police, the inquiry found no evidence that two students had gone missing or died on the campus.
Banur station house officer Gursewak Singh said the situation was under control and that all students were safe. He added that police had not found anything supporting the claims of suicide or missing girls.
Authorities said they were investigating how the rumour began and who was responsible for spreading it. No case had been registered against students at the time of the reports, although police were examining the alleged damage to public property and the events that led to the clashes.
How the Ghost Rumours Started
According to the police, the panic at Chitkara University may have originated from a prank several days earlier.
The SHO said some students allegedly used a speaker to create horror-like sounds inside the hostel on September 23. The prank led some residents to believe that a ghost was present in the building. Hostel wardens reportedly checked rooms but found nothing unusual.
The fear continued after another rumour claimed that a student had died by suicide in the hostel several years earlier and that a spirit was now haunting the premises. These stories later merged with claims about screams, ambulances and missing students.
Police said an ambulance had arrived at the girls’ hostel on the morning of September 24 because a student who had returned from hospital was brought back to the hostel at about 2.50 a.m. The university said there was no death or suicide connected with that incident.
The university also clarified that a priest seen at the hostel had visited the campus to meet his daughter, who was a student there. Officials said his presence had no connection with any death, missing student or alleged supernatural incident.
University Denies Death Claims
Chitkara University said the claims circulating on social media were false and had no factual basis. Registrar Colonel Rakesh Sharma said nothing had happened on campus and urged students and parents not to believe unverified posts.
The university appealed to people to confirm sensitive information through official and credible sources before sharing it online. It said academic, hostel and placement activities continued normally after the situation was brought under control.
Despite the official clarification, several students reportedly returned home on Saturday morning, while parents also arrived at the campus to take their children back. Police presence was increased around the university as a precaution.
LPU Protest Involved Separate Allegations
The unrest at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara involved a different set of allegations. On Saturday night, social media posts claimed that a female student had been raped and later died by suicide.
The reports spread rapidly across the campus. Students demanded a formal investigation and registration of a police case. They alleged that their requests for a detailed inquiry had not received a satisfactory response from the university administration.
The university rejected the allegations as false and fabricated, saying that certain “anti-social elements” were spreading rumours to create confusion and disturb the academic environment. However, police later said that a student living in the university’s G-3 girls’ hostel had allegedly been raped around three days earlier.
Jalandhar Range Deputy Inspector General Naveen Singla said the student had left for her home and that police had recorded her statement. He said the process of registering an FIR under the relevant legal provisions had begun. Investigators were expected to examine digital and technical evidence, including CCTV footage and other material.
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Violence and Highway Blockade At LPU
The LPU protest later turned violent. Students allegedly damaged university buildings, smashed windowpanes and set parts of the campus on fire. Property inside the campus was also reportedly vandalised.
At around 4 a.m., protesters moved towards the Delhi–Amritsar National Highway and blocked the road. The blockade disrupted traffic heading towards Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Students were demanding action in connection with the rape allegations and answers from the university administration.
Police from Jalandhar Rural, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts were deployed after authorities received information about a law-and-order situation. The highway was eventually cleared, but tensions continued on the campus.
Reports later said that police used a lathi charge to disperse protesters. Some protesters allegedly pelted stones, and police vehicles were damaged. The vehicle of DIG Naveen Singla was reportedly attacked, while another vehicle, including one belonging to a journalist, was also damaged. At least one vehicle was allegedly set on fire.
Police said action would be taken after assessing the damage. Authorities also raised concerns that some outsiders may have joined the protest and participated in vandalism.
Investigation Into Telangana Student’s Death
During the LPU protests, students also raised the case of a Telangana student who allegedly died by suicide on the campus roughly two weeks earlier.
Police had already begun inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita after recording statements from the student’s family. The student’s mobile phone was reportedly sent for forensic examination.
The police said a separate inquiry would be conducted into the circumstances of the student’s death. Students also raised complaints about hostel facilities and other administrative concerns. A meeting involving students, university officials and the civil administration was planned to discuss those issues.
Classes Suspended at LPU
LPU announced the suspension of regular classes for 10 days. Mid-term examinations were postponed until further notice, and students who could return home were advised to do so.
Students remaining on campus were asked to stay inside their hostels and avoid unnecessary movement. Police said the situation had later come under control and traffic on the national highway resumed.
The university continued to deny the rape-suicide claim as initially circulated online, while police said they were investigating the alleged rape separately. The conflicting statements underline the importance of waiting for official findings rather than treating social media posts as confirmed news.
Two Incidents, Different Facts
The Chitkara University incident was linked to rumours about missing girls, alleged suicides, screams and a supposed ghost in a hostel. Police and the university said they found no evidence of a death or missing student.
The LPU protest involved allegations of rape and suicide, along with claims about an earlier student death. Although the university described the reports as fabricated, police said a rape complaint was being examined and that an FIR process had begun.
In both cases, unverified online messages played a major role in turning uncertainty into mass panic. The incidents also resulted in damage to property and pressure on authorities to respond quickly. Investigations into the LPU allegations and the violence at both campuses remain ongoing, and further details will depend on police findings and official records.
Sources
- The Indian Express: ‘Two girls missing, priest at hostel’: Ghost rumours trigger panic at Chitkara University
- Times of India: ‘2 girls missing, screams heard’: Ghost rumours trigger massive protest at Chitkara University
- Hindustan Times: Second Punjab varsity hit by ‘rape-suicide’ protests; buildings set ablaze, Delhi-Amritsar highway blocked
- Times of India: Now, protest and violence rock LPU over ‘rape-suicide’ claims
Disclaimer: This article is based on reports from media outlets, police statements and university responses available at the time of publication. Some allegations and information circulating on social media remain unverified or under investigation. Claims regarding individuals or incidents should not be treated as established facts unless confirmed by competent authorities. The situation may develop as investigations continue, and readers are advised to rely on official updates and credible news sources for the latest information.
