No moral policing on campus, assures PU security head

Amid concerns that Panjab University (PU) is going to start moral policing on the campus, the varsity authorities on Wednesday said that nothing of this sort is going to take place. Only patrolling has been intensified on the university's campus to ensure security of the students, he said.

Talking to Chandigarh Newsline, PU Chief Security Officer P K Dhawan said that after the Delhi gangrape incident, the Vice-Chancellor had called a meeting to ensure proper security on the campus so that incidents like that do not take place.

"It is not moral policing that we are going to introduce in the campus. However, if any couple is found sitting in an isolated place between 5 pm and 11 pm, I have asked the guards to check their identity cards to check if they are outsiders," said Dhawan.

The varsity had already decided to install 40 more closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the campus to keep a strict vigil to curb anti-social elements and to avoid unforeseen circumstances.

The varsity will also see the recruitment of 80 security personnel on posts which have been lying vacant for years. Currently, a total of 359 security personnel are working on the campus, against the actual sanctioned strength of 439.

In fact, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had written to all the Vice-Chancellors of various universities and directors of all the institutes to ensure women's security.

The University Grants Commission vice-chairman and acting chairman Prof Ved Prakash had also proposed putting in place a dedicated task force. The task force, it was suggested, would comprise of senior colleagues to ensure the safety of working women.

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