MANSEHRA: Panic gripped the students ofgovernment degree college for girls and their parents here on Saturday after rumours spread that the college had come under terrorist attack.

The students got panicked after bricks fell down on steel sheets from the under-construction block in the college, creating sounds like gunfire and they started running out of classrooms. Two students who scaled the wall and jumped out of the college premises also received minor injuries.

The rumours soon spread in the city and panicked parents reached the college in large number to inquire aftertheir daughters.

The college principal, Prof Yasmeen, told media persons that reconstruction work of the block destroyed in Oct 2005 earthquake was in progress when bricks fell on steel sheets creating big sounds and students started running in panic.

`Soon rumours of attack on our college spread and the police and parents rushed here,` she said.

A heavy contingent of police led by DSP ZulfiqarKhan also reached the college.

Later, announcements were made on a loudspeaker from the nearby mosque that no terrorist attack had taken place in the college.

He told media persons that his office was situated at a little distance from the college and when students jumped down from the boundary wall the people who saw them shouted for help.

He said that the police and bomb disposal squad officials rushed to the scene.

`We searched and cleared the building,` he said.

SECTION 144 IMPOSED: The district administration of Battagram has imposed Section 144 to eliminate the use of unfair means in the matriculation examination.

According to a statement issued by deputy commissioner Zareef Almani, Section 144 had been imposed in 220-metre area of the examination centres across the district for smooth conduct of the secondary school certificate examinations.

There is also ban on the use of photocopiers near the examination centres.

The DC also visited various centres and asked the examiners to ensure that students did not use unfair means.

The assistant commissioner and deputy assistant commissioners of Mansehra also visited the examination centres in the city and its adjoining areas.