Chitkara University in Punjab has suspended regular classes until October 1 after a student protest triggered by unverified social-media claims about two female students escalated into unrest and property damage on campus. In a circular issued on Sunday, the private university near Rajpura said September 28 to October 1 would be treated as “Non-Teaching Working Days” because of administrative reasons. Faculty and other staff members, however, have been instructed to report for work as usual.

Since October 2 is a national holiday and October 3 and 4 fall on the weekend, regular classes are expected to resume on October 5, 2026. The decision follows days of tension after social-media posts claimed that two women students were either missing or had died by suicide. Police and university authorities say they have found no evidence supporting those claims so far.

Chitkara University Student Protest Leads to Suspension of Academic Activities

The student protest began late on September 25 after rumours spread rapidly through student WhatsApp groups and social-media platforms. Students reportedly said they had heard screams around the hostel area on September 24 and had seen ambulances entering the premises. Those observations later became linked online to much more serious claims that two female students had gone missing or died.

As anxiety increased, hundreds of students gathered demanding a clear explanation from university authorities. The demonstration later escalated, with window panes smashed, university property damaged and police vehicles attacked. Police have been reviewing CCTV footage and other material to identify those responsible for the damage. The university’s decision to halt academic activities gives authorities several days to stabilise the campus while inquiries into both the rumours and the subsequent violence continue.

What Were Students Claiming?

Several versions of the story circulated online. One claim said that two students from a girls’ hostel were missing. Another alleged that two students had died by suicide and that the university was concealing the deaths. There were also social-media discussions about a supposedly haunted hostel and the presence of a man described online as a priest. These claims became intertwined as they spread, creating confusion over what had actually happened.

Police said students raising the allegation that two women were missing were unable to provide names, photographs, roll numbers or other identifying information that investigators could use to confirm the claims. That is an important distinction in the Chitkara University latest news: the demonstrations were real, but the claims that initially triggered them have not been substantiated.

What Did Patiala Police Find?

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans said authorities had received no report of a suicide or death involving a university student from a family, student or the institution itself. Medical authorities offered another point of verification. Dr Sharanpreet Goraya, senior medical officer at Civil Hospital in Rajpura, told Hindustan Times that no recent post-mortem involving a Chitkara student had taken place.

Banur DSP Sukhdev Singh also said police were examining the missing-student claims. Officers said they would take any genuine missing-person complaint seriously but noted that protesters initially could not provide identifying details for the two students they believed were missing. An inquiry has nevertheless been conducted to verify the concerns raised by students.

University Explains Why Ambulance Visited Girls’ Hostel

One of the strongest triggers for the rumours appears to have been the presence of an ambulance near the hostel. The university has acknowledged that an ambulance did arrive in the early hours of September 24. However, it says the vehicle was connected to a student who had been receiving treatment at a hospital and was being brought back to the hostel, rather than transporting anyone who had died. The student returned at approximately 2:50 am, according to the university’s statement.

The university therefore rejected claims that the ambulance was carrying the body of a student. This clarification is significant because images and accounts of ambulance activity had been repeatedly cited online as supposed evidence supporting the rumours involving female students.

What About the ‘Priest’ Seen Near the Hostel?

Another detail amplified on social media concerned a man seen visiting the girls’ hostel. Posts reportedly described him as a “Pandit ji” and attempted to connect his appearance to rumours about a ghost or an alleged death. The university says the explanation was much simpler. According to its statement, the man was the father of a university student and had arrived at around 3 pm to meet his daughter. The administration said his visit had no connection with any alleged death or suicide. The combination of an ambulance, reports of screams and the visitor appears to have helped unrelated details develop into a much larger story online.

Why Did Students Still Protest?

Although police and university officials rejected the rumours, students said a lack of immediate and clear communication contributed to anxiety. As different accounts circulated online, students gathered seeking answers about what had happened in the hostel. That concern eventually developed into the large student protest.

The distinction between the students’ concerns and the later violence is important. Students can seek information about safety on campus without being responsible for property damage committed by particular individuals. Police are separately investigating the vandalism and examining CCTV footage to determine who was involved.

Police Vehicles and Campus Property Damaged

The situation turned more serious as the crowd grew. Reports said protesters broke windows and damaged university property, while police vehicles were also targeted. Some officers were allegedly manhandled during the unrest. Additional police personnel from nearby areas were deployed to the campus. Authorities subsequently held meetings with students in an attempt to address their concerns and prevent further confrontations. Police said the situation was brought under control, while security remained on alert around the institution.

Academic Activities Suspended, but University Is Not Fully Closed

The latest circular does not amount to a complete institutional shutdown. Regular student academic activities are suspended from September 28 through October 1, but these have specifically been designated “Non-Teaching Working Days”. Faculty and staff must continue attending the university for administrative duties.

The practical schedule is:

The arrangement effectively gives students a week away from normal classroom teaching even though the formal suspension covers four working days.

Are Two Chitkara Students Missing?

Based on the information publicly available so far, police say they have not verified such a claim. Investigators said no names, photographs or other concrete identifying information were initially provided for the two people said to be missing. Police and university authorities have therefore rejected social-media claims that two students disappeared or died. If new evidence or a genuine missing-person report emerges, authorities can investigate it separately. For now, describing two students as confirmed missing would go beyond the evidence available.

Chitkara University Asks Students Not to Spread Unverified Posts

Chitkara University has appealed to students, parents, media organisations and members of the public to verify information before forwarding social-media posts concerning student safety. The administration said unverified material can create unnecessary fear among students and families. It has maintained that no suicide or death occurred in the girls’ hostel and says local police and administrative authorities have been involved in checking the claims. This is especially important when reporting incidents involving young people because rumours can identify or expose people who have no connection with the underlying allegations.

What Should Students Know Now?

For students following Chitkara University latest news, the immediate academic update is straightforward: Regular classes will not take place through October 1.

October 2 is already a national holiday, followed by the weekend, so teaching is scheduled to resume on October 5. Students should rely on official university communication for any further change to the schedule rather than social-media forwards.

The campus unrest also demonstrates why specific safety concerns should be reported with verifiable information whenever possible. Names, photographs, hostel details or direct complaints allow police to investigate. Anonymous viral claims are much harder to verify and can spread considerably faster than officials can respond.