Chandigarh: Two days after the deadly shooting incident in the Panjab University campus, which could have claimed the life of a student, the varsity has still not beefed up its security, as vehicles were spotted entering the campus freely from all three gates without any security check. The guards were found sitting, and vehicles, especially four-wheelers, were not being checked by anyone.
PU chief security officer Jatinder Grover said: "We constantly keep monitoring vehicles during the election season, but it is very difficult to check vehicles round the year, as PU is a public place, and you can't severely restrict the entry of people into the campus. Now, during the meeting, it has been decided that vehicles from outside will be made to park near the gates, and after entry, people will have to use the shuttle service provided by the university."
Examples of clashes inside the campus abound, like two years ago (2014) in the department of chemistry, where two rival groups used bats and wooden canes to thrash one another; or a brawl in the PU market after an accident the same year, where rods and sharp-edged weapons were used to damage a car; or a knife attack on a hosteller last year; and several others. In all the above cases, when vehicles were searched by the police and security guards, rods and other weapons were recovered.
This time too, when the cars of students involved in the firing were searched, cops found heavy wooden bats and iron rods, besides weapons. Sources revealed that most of the people involved in the incidents were outsiders, who could also be former students visiting their friends and teachers, which makes it difficult to restrict their entry. One of the security guards said: "We try to stop the entry of outsiders and also check vehicles, but people sitting inside the vehicles threaten us with dire consequences. Last year, one of our security guards in Sector 25 was thrashed by outsiders, but no action was taken on it. We also want PU to be clean of outsiders."
Students alleged that whether it is a candle march or a party campaign, most of those involved in habitual crimes are goons from outside, with whom students and guards avoid indulging in any conversation.
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