PU restricts outsiders’ entry, beefs up security

PU on Sunday had ordered strict checking on all the entrance gates and asked students and employees to carry and display their valid identity cards to avoid any inconvenience while entering the campus. As students feigned ignorance about the latest order, the wardens were seen asking students about names of the teachers at their departments.

“I think university needs some kind of regulation because a large public remains here all the day. I do not see this as inconvenience but it should have been put in place long back,” said Adarsh Maurya, a law student. “I had forgotten my I-card but proved my identity through some library documents.”

The university administration on Sunday had said a large number of unidentified youths who were not students of the university had engaged in stone-pelting on April 11 and restricted entry to prevent a re-occurrence of the violence. “I think this will also help us manage traffic because some people just want to enter the campus to roam around,” said a university official at gate number 1.

Inside the campus, Chandigarh Police personnel and the university security remained deployed in large numbers at the Students’ Centre, inside the varsity gardens and outside the V-C’s office during the day. A water cannon had also been brought to the campus in fear of protests. Although the day passed off peacefully amid a few silent protests against the fee hike, the heavy security presence inside the campus indicated the fear among officials.

“The security was intensified to check the entry of outsiders inside campus and also there was a call of some delegation as well. We wanted to be alert to avoid any untoward incident,” said Professor Ashwani Koul, chief security officer.