Intruder in PU girls’ hostel: DSW recommends suspension of four, transfer of senior assistant
As per information, a girl student living on the third floor of the PU girls hostel woke up around 3am to find an unidentified person, seemingly in an intoxicated state, in her room. She immediately raised the alarm but the accused managed to flee. The university authorities were informed about the incident on Thursday.
Panjab University (PU) is all set to take action against erring officials posted at Girls Hostel Number 4 after an unidentified person broke into the hostel after 3am on Wednesday and entered a girl’s room.
As per information, a girl student living on the third floor woke up around 3am to find an unidentified person, seemingly in an intoxicated state, in her room. She immediately raised the alarm but the accused managed to flee. The university authorities were informed about the incident on Thursday.
Dean students’ welfare (DSW) Jatinder Grover submitted a report to the vice-chancellor on Friday, while final action is awaited. It has been recommended that three security guards, who were supposed to be on duty along with a lady attendant, are suspended. They were not given any assignment even on Friday.
It has also been recommended that an inquiry committee be set up to probe the matter. The senior assistant of the hostel who was on duty has been recommended to be transferred and should also be sent a show-cause notice while the warden must also be asked for an explanation, the report stated.
The university is also set to make an SOP for hostels to ensure such incidents don’t happen in the future.
‘A first in the history of the varsity’
DSW Grover said this is for the first time in the history of the university that some unknown person has walked into the girls’ hostel. “We had one incident where a guy had tried to scale the wall of hostel number 5 but was apprehended from the spot. In this incident, the accused had entered the hostel from the main entrance and climbed three floors without being stopped by anyone, which is alarming,” he said.
He added that a meeting was held on Friday to constitute a SOP for hostels to further avoid such incidents. While the final approval is also awaited, it is recommended that attendants sit at the entrance of the hostel and latch the door after 11:30 pm. Anybody who comes after this will have to make an entry in the register. A flying squad of wardens will also be constituted to visit the hostels at night and check their preparedness.
It has also been recommended that two guards be stationed at the entrances of the hostels and CCTV cameras be installed on each floor of the hostel.
As per officials, the victim was initially going to make a police complaint on Thursday itself but had later refrained from doing so and the University said a fresh complaint will be submitted on Friday.
Speaking on the matter, PU vice-chancellor professor Renu Vig said, “I have received the DSW’s recommendations and it is under consideration. But action will surely be taken against those found at fault. We have asked attendants to shut the doors of the hostel at night.”
A case in this regard was registered under Sections 447 (punishment for criminal trespass) and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Sector 11 police station against an unidentified person, on the complaint of the warden. No arrests have been made so far.
A senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said the victim refused to lodge a complaint following which case was registered on the basis of the complaint submitted by the warden of the hostel.
“The victim has almost completed her course from the varsity and will pass out soon and thus she refused to lodge any complaint in the incident”, a senior police officer said.
Student parties hold protests
Various student parties also held protests outside the administration building regarding inaction in this incident. National Students Union of India (NSUI) Chandigarh held a protest in the evening regarding the negligence of the authorities and also sought an explanation from warden of the hostel, Tammanna R Sahrawat. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad also held a protest earlier, demanding that more security guards be hired by the authorities to prevent such lapses.
