PU’s student centre may close early

In the wake of increased tension on the campus, the Student Centre of Panjab University (PU) would be required to shut its shop early.

In a letter to dean of student welfare, PU, Navdeep Goyal, and PU registrar AK Bhandari, chief security officer Jatinder Grover had asked the university to shut its student centre by 7.30pm and department canteens by 6pm every day.

The canteens are shut at around 8pm while the student centre remains open till 10pm.

“Students are found loitering in groups in these canteens and in the student center till late evening. Keeping in view the current situation, this is being done to prevent any untoward incident,” Grover told Hindustan Times.

The canteens, in particular, function as war rooms of student parties. Officials said students parked their vehicles in large numbers on both sides of the roads along several canteens, thus leading to chaos.

“It could result in brawls anytime. We do not have enough security personnel to supervise all such locations,” a senior officer said, adding that several students were found indulging in unwanted activities in these places.

During the 2013 elections, though the canteen would be shut at 6pm, the student centre remained open till 8.30pm. But this year, officials said they wanted it to be shut by 7.30pm.

“Several outsiders visit the place during evenings. Mostly party workers from colleges turn up, which could result in violence,” the official said.

He said students living on campus had mess facility and there was no reason to keep shops open till late.