Hyderabad: At least two unknown intruders broke into the bathroom of Osmania University PG women’s hostel in Secunderabad causing chaos among students on Friday, January 26.
One of the intruders was caught and handed over to the police after alert students confronted them while the other managed to escape. The students tied him using a dupatta.
The students protested in front of the hostel over the lack of security demanding the installation of CCTV cameras and measures to prevent such incidents. They also demanded the resignation of the Vice Chancellor.
The University’s principal took cognisance of the incident and an inquiry has also been initiated into the matter. The students have been assured that the issue would be resolved promptly and appropriate measures would be taken to enhance security on the premises.
Students were seen raising slogans of “We want justice” as they sat in front of their hostel while police personnel were seen persuading them to leave the spot.
“We are just asking for VC to come. Why is he not coming?” shouted out one of the students while another said, “We are just trying to pressurize the VC to come.”
Police ensure safety measures at Osmania University women’s hostels
Meanwhile, a police personnel was heard saying that the hostelites would be provided with all security facilities within time.
“I will ensure that whatever facilities, whatever thing need to be done are done within time. I will get it done within whatever time they say,” she said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North Zone, Rohini Priyadarshini said that they were called to the hostel late at night on Friday and while they were taking away the miscreant who was already apprehended by the security personnel and the students, their vehicle was stopped by the protesters.
“There was an issue of scaling the compound wall and getting inside the girl’s hostel by an unknown person at the OU sub-campus PG girls’ hostel. We received a call at 1:40 hours and the accused were already apprehended by the students and the security people there. We caught him and put him in a patrol vehicle. When we were about to leave the students gathered and obstructed the vehicle and did not allow the vehicle to move,” the DCP said on Saturday.
The students briefed the DCP about their demands who in turn inspected the campus and found some security lapses in the hostel which was conveyed to the Registrar.
“Based on that we asked what are their demands…I spoke to them, went to the campus, and noticed the security lapses. We have told the Registrar to do a few things like placing lighting system and security system at the back side and some other repair works which have to be done,” Priyadarshini said.
“Other than that, there are some administrative issues which have to be addressed at the VC and Registrar level. We told them to give it in writing. I think the VC will address those issues. We have ensured that patrolling will be there outside the campus because there is a metro station in which there will be floating of people regularly,” she added.
Speaking on the number of miscreants involved in the incident, the DCP said, “We are yet to investigate.”
“We have to register a case. But no one has come forward with a petition,” she added.
Students’ narrative on OU hostel trespassing
However one of the student protesters said that they were hearing some uncanny sounds since the time they came from their Sankranti Holidays.
“After we came back from the Sankranti Holidays. we are hearing different sounds in different rooms. But we thought it might be our mistake,” she said speaking to ANI.
The student said that one of the hostelites saw hands coming out of the ventilator of their washroom on the first and the ground floor. She claimed that they had seen three people involved in the incident but only one of them has been nabbed.
“Yesterday, the incident happened on two of the floors, the ground floor as well as first floor at the same time. We have ventilators in our washrooms. The washrooms have little space. She (one of the students) locked herself in the washroom. But she saw hands coming out of the ventilator. She panicked and ran. The same incident took place on the ground floor. We approached our seniors. We were searching for them. We saw three of them, only one was caught by us. We are demanding the rest who were there to be nabbed,” the student said.
Not the first case at Osmania University women’s hostel
This is not the first case of trespassing at Osmania University women’s hostels. Earlier this month, two unidentified men reportedly scaled the walls of the Osmania University Ph.D. women’s hostel and one even attempted to enter one of the hostel rooms.
Students then too had blocked a road and raised slogans against the vice-chancellor demanding he meet with them and fulfill their demands.
