Chandigarh: Student’s stabbing exposes gaping holes in Panjab University security

The death of Aditya Thakur, asecond-year student of computer science engineering at the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), who was stabbed at Masoom Sharma’s concert at Panjab University (PU) on Friday, has once again shifted the focus to the unacceptable security situation on the South Campus of the varsity, with many calling for the wall between the campus and the Sector 25 Bhaskar Colony to be strengthened.

PU has a government school on the South Campus and a gate has been installed for students to pass through from the colony side.

However, the wall towards the colony side is relatively small and easy to scale, even as the gate is locked after school gets over. A security official present also confirmed this.

PU vice-chancellor Renu Vig said she is aware of these lapses and added, “We have been trying to address this ever since I was the director of UIET. We will ask the authorities to do something about this.”

Dean student welfare (DSW) Amit Chauhan said he had taken up the proposal for strengthening the wall while taking charge at the office. The UT administration, however, hasn’t shown much interest regarding the issue, he added.

A professor who teaches on the South Campus discussed how it is ignored as compared to the North Campus. “Just last month, taps were stolen twice from the PU BioNEST building in a span of five days. Something needs to be done.”

Chief of university security Vikram Singh said around 20 security cops are deployed on the South Campus, which isn’t sufficient, as it is spread around 166 acres as per the master plan. It has five hostels.

Students of UIET, meanwhile, staged a protest and marched from the V-C office to UIET on Monday. Arav Raghuvanshi, a second year student of EEE branch at UIET, said they will boycott classes on Tuesday.

Local member of Parliament Manish Tewari took to X to post on the deteriorating law and order situation on the campus. He said many PU students have approached him regarding this.

“There is a palpable sense of insecurity in the Panjab University Campus. The Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar who is the Chancellor of PU should immediately set up an independent investigative Committee with experts from outside to ascertain as to how such a serious security lapse took place that resulted in this tragic loss of life. Especially when PU was cherry picking on permissions that they were granting to political outfits active on the Campus for organising festivals on the campus premises,” he posted.

(With inputs from Jasmeh Kaur)