Hostel students in Amritsar pack up, return home in panic

After hearing last night’s explosive sounds and escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, several hostel students of GNDU and other city colleges, including DAV College, Hindu College, BBKDAV College and others, left for their homes early this morning. Many hostels now wear a deserted look.

Citing fear of an impending war, students, mostly girls, returned to their native places at nearby villages and towns. Several students were seen packing their bags and leaving for their homes fearing a war-like situation at the border.

GNDU is approximately 28 km away from the Attari border. The university has already postponed exams till May 10. Also, the university authorities have asked students, who remain in hostels, to shift to the ground floor rooms, for easy and hasty evacuation in case of emergency.

Early in the morning, several students were seen rushing to the bus stand and the railway station, even taking cabs to get back home. “We are very scared. The explosive sounds last night made us really anxious and we fear that if an attack happens, we will be stuck. So, it will be prudent and safe to leave for home now,” said a first-semester BBA student of the university, who hails from Sri Hargobindpur.

Nandini Sharma, another student, who is a hosteller, shared how all the students heard loud explosive sounds in the dead of night and did not sleep. “We all heard loud, bomb-like explosive sounds and everyone gathered outside their rooms. We were so scared. No one slept after that and most girls called up their parents to inform that they are leaving for homes in the morning,” she said.

College managements and university authorities, meanwhile, have amplified campus security and are ensuring that students do not go out after the designated time as blackout drills might happen.

Amritsar