Punjab: Two arrested for allegedly spreading rumours of girls missing from university hostel

The Punjab Police on Friday arrested two persons for allegedly provoking students of Chitkara University to protest by spreading rumours on social media that two women students had gone missing from the institute’s hostel, The Indian Express reported.

The unrest at the private university began on the night of September 25 after rumours circulated on social media that two students had gone missing from their hostel.

The students allegedly damaged two police vehicles and assaulted a police officer during the protest. They also alleged that the officer was under the influence of alcohol when he reached the campus to control the situation.

On Friday, Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans said the arrested persons, Himanshu and Aryan, were former students of the university, The Indian Express reported. They allegedly incited students by spreading misleading messages in multiple social media groups.

They have been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to attempt to murder, wrongful confinement, obstructing a public servant, assault on a public servant, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint, disturbing public peace, rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal conspiracy, the newspaper reported.

The first information report was registered on September 29, and police are trying to apprehend 10 other persons named in the FIR, the officer said.

Edited by Tanya Shrivastava.
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