Students protest at Chitkara University after false rumors of missing girls
Hundreds of students at Chitkara University rallied after unverified social media claims that two female students were missing, leading to clashes with police and property damage.
A large gathering of students at Chitkara University near Rajpura turned violent after unsubstantiated social media posts alleged that two female students were missing from the hostel. The rumor originated from a prank about ghosts tied to an alumnus’s suicide and quickly spread through WhatsApp groups, with some participants claiming to have heard screams. Police from Banur, Rajpura Sadar and Rajpura City stations arrived, but protesters smashed the windows of two police cars and reportedly assaulted an outpost in-charge.
University registrar Rakesh Sharma said the claims were baseless and that authorities had informed students around 10:30 pm that no such incident occurred. Investigators are probing the source of the rumor, while campus activities continue as normal and extra security remains on standby.
Why it matters
The incident shows how unchecked online rumors can spark campus unrest and strain law-enforcement resources.
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