‘For now, we have restricted entry to the university’: Panjab University Registrar

During a cultural event or any such programme, passes are issued to outsiders also. Non-university students are also invited, which explains why outsiders were permitted inside the campus.

The university has set up an independent disciplinary committee that is probing into the issue. However, those students found guilty shall be rusticated with immediate effect.

On the day of the event, Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa was also on the campus. Does the university ensure additional security arrangements when VIPs visit the campus?

Yes, there are certain protocols that are put in place by the UT police when a VIP visits the campus. A police team performs a recce of the area beforehand, and in case they feel that there is a need for some additional beefing up of security, they inform the university authorities and arrangements are done accordingly. Once we are sure that all security arrangements are in place, only then do we go ahead with the visit. When the incident took place on April 7, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had already left the campus. Nothing went wrong with respect to the security arrangements that day.

As soon as the incident was reported, what was the response of the university?

The security was immediately intimidated. The Chief University Security (CUS) and I reached the spot within 15-20 minutes. A feedback mechanism system of the CUS was in place and we took stock of the situation. Gates to the university were closed to prevent entry of cars without being checked. There are certain escape routes in the university where miscreants have cut the barbed fences. It is probably from one of these areas that the they fled after the incident.

Since this incident, how have things now changed at the university?

Having realised that there is certain laxity in the university security mechanism, the authorities had this agenda on mind for quite some time. The university is an academic area and we cannot absolutely make it an out-of-bounds area for civilians. We have recognised that the stakeholders are the students, prospective students, faculty members, visiting faculty, vendors who visit the campus. Firstly, people who are directly involved with the daily activities of the university have been recognised and they have been issued stickers. Next step is to initiate a process where the stickers are coded and can be automatically scanned. At the entrance, a device will be installed that will read these stickers and access will be given. Secondly, for people who visit the campus with prior intimation, they will be issued temporary passes at the entrance. The security personnel at the university gates will check with the officials concerned for the purpose of their visit and allow access. Thirdly, there are people who do not have any prior appointments, yet wish to visit the university for some work. For these people, adequate parking arrangements are being made near Gate No. 1 of the university, so that they can park their vehicles there and after a security check, can be allowed inside the campus. There are people who use the campus as a thoroughfare to get from the PGI side to the other end towards Dhanas – we want to stop such entry absolutely. People who want to visit the residential area will be allowed in through Gate No. 3 only. For those who wish to avail the facilities of the market area, they will be allowed in only through Gate No.2.

Stricter barricading is also going to be imposed inside the campus and there was a plan to make the university academic area four-wheeler free. How is that expected to be implemented?

As you enter the university from Gate No. 1, the first turn is towards Gandhi Bhawan, the second turn is towards the vice-chancellor’s office and the third is towards the Admin Block. These three turns will be blocked and only people who have permanent/temporary stickers will be allowed beyond these points. Setting up of adequate parking areas near all departments is also important for the implementation of these plans. At present, there is a shortage of manpower of security personnel inside the campus, which is why the barricading has not been imposed. We have about 200 security personnel for now and are short of about 55 more. The university has also taken a decision to outsource security for the Sector 25 campus by giving the contract to a private company. A budget for this has already been allotted and once this is done, the manpower that is being utilised on the Sector 25 campus will be diverted to the Sector 15 campus. After we have sufficient manpower, the three main arteries will be blocked and further barricading will be implemented. For now, we have restricted entry to the university.

As far as university hostels are concerned, have any steps been taken to beef up the security there?

Once the deficiency in the manpower is solved, we will employ more security personnel at the hostels. We also have a plan to centralise the system of security on the campus by routing it all to the office of the Chief Security Officer. At present, the departments have been allotted their own watchmen, but we want to bring them all under the umbrella of the CUS, who can then deploy them where required. Setting up of a centralised control room has also been approved to monitor all the university activities. We need better resolution CCTV cameras, in addition to the requirement of installation of around 50 more. Lighting and fencing in certain places of the university also need to be improved.

Over the past few months, the students have also brought up the issue of increased police interference on the campus. How are the officials going to deal with this issue?

In certain instances, the police have to interfere, like the firing incident. But when students have their own academic agenda, like protests, the university authorities have so far not called in for more police. One police officer is present on the campus at all times and it his discretion whether to call more police force. Only when the university security will feel that they cannot handle the mob, the officials will call in more police. We just keep the police informed about the activities on the campus, so that if needed, they can be alerted.

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