ESP32 WIFI connection generates CORE 1 panic / reboot

I'm using this code on an ESP32 to connect to my home WiFi network:

    #include <Arduino.h>
    #include <WiFi.h>

    char text[80];

    uint8_t connectTCP(void) {
        char ctr = 0;
        const char *ssid= "*********";
        const char *pwd = "*********";

        WiFi.begin(ssid, pwd);
        Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi: ***");

        // Wait for connection or time-out in 5 sec
        while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && ctr < 10) {
            delay(500);
            Serial.print(" *");
            ctr++;
        }

        if (ctr > 9) {
            sprintf(text, "\nWIFI connection time out. Failed to connect to network '%s'.\n", ssid);
            Serial.println(text);
            return 0;
        }

        sprintf(text, "\nConnected ESP32 to WIFI network '%s' with IP ", ssid);
        Serial.print(text);
        Serial.print(WiFi.localIP());
        Serial.println(" on Port 80");

        return 1;
    }


   void setup() {
       if(!connectTCP(void)) {
          Serial.println("WiFi failed. Terminate program");
          while(1) {}
       }
   }

   void loop() {
   }

The program sometimes connects (yeah!!!). But in most cases it generates a Core dump and reboots. It might run thru 5-10 reboot cycles before finally making a connection. The output that I'm showing is the typical output when the Wifi connection fails. Sometimes the 'Connecting to WiFi: ***' is printed too. Any suggestions of what might be going on??

RC controller Status: 1
CH1: 1488  CH2: 1494  CH3: 1030  CH4: 1030  CH5: 1960  CH6: 1030

Guru Meditation Error: Core  1 panic'ed (Cache disabled but cached memory region accessed)
Core 1 register dump:
PC      : 0x400d1708  PS      : 0x00060034  A0      : 0x800813d8  A1      : 0x3ffbe790  
A2      : 0x00000000  A3      : 0x00000018  A4      : 0x8008984a  A5      : 0x3ffbe790  
A6      : 0x3ffbe7d8  A7      : 0x00000001  A8      : 0x80081001  A9      : 0x00000001  
A10     : 0x00000002  A11     : 0x0000001b  A12     : 0x8008af57  A13     : 0x3ffbe760  
A14     : 0x00000008  A15     : 0x00000001  SAR     : 0x00000016  EXCCAUSE: 0x00000007  
EXCVADDR: 0x00000000  LBEG    : 0x40001609  LEND    : 0x4000160d  LCOUNT  : 0x00000000  
Core 1 was running in ISR context:
EPC1    : 0x400877bb  EPC2    : 0x00000000  EPC3    : 0x00000000  EPC4    : 0x400d1708

Backtrace: 0x400d1708:0x3ffbe790 0x400813d5:0x3ffbe7b0 0x40085345:0x3ffbe7d0 0x400877b8:0x3ffb1890 0x40087f11:0x3ffb18b0 0x400e9eb1:0x3ffb1920 0x400e8781:0x3ffb1940 0x400e8bcf:0x3ffb1960 0x400e7565:0x3ffb19d0 0x400e79b6:0x3ffb1a20 0x400e7a98:0x3ffb1aa0 0x400e6b62:0x3ffb1b00 0x400e7095:0x3ffb1b40 0x4013377e:0x3ffb1b60 0x40133972:0x3ffb1bb0 0x401339c5:0x3ffb1be0 0x400ea35f:0x3ffb1c00 0x400ea4b2:0x3ffb1c20 0x400dd6ad:0x3ffb1c40 0x400d4699:0x3ffb1c60 0x400d4755:0x3ffb1d60 0x400d4833:0x3ffb1d80 0x400d2b4d:0x3ffb1eb0 0x400d2e2f:0x3ffb1f70 0x400da3bf:0x3ffb1fb0 0x40089751:0x3ffb1fd0

Rebooting...