Inmates of girls' hostels feel secure in Mysore

MYSORE: The recent sexual assault on a medical student at Manipal has raised concerns about safety of girl students in the city. But various measures taken up by the college authorities to ensure their safety are making them feel secure.
Many girls' hostels are situated away form the college campus: Maharani's hostel is across a street near the college, Maharaja and Yuvaraja's women's hostels are a few meters away form the colleges, and National Institute of Engineering women's hostel is situated in its sister institution, which is two streets away from the main campus.Nevertheless, the girl students staying at the hostels feel safe in the city.
Many a time, women in the city have complained about being teased at random places. But girl students claim that they have not had bitter experiences, thanks to deadlines at hostels, which make them reach the hostel well in time.
College hostels have instructed their students to be inside the hostel within a given time. In Maharaja's, Yuvaraja's and Maharani's women's hostels, the students have to be in the hostel by 6.30pm. No student can go out after 6pm. The deadline for students at women's hostel in Manasagangotri and NIE is 7.30pm and 7pm, respectively.
Ashwini Mane, BCom student from Belgaum, and an inmate at Maharani's women's hostel, has not experienced any untoward incident like eve-teasing or boys following her or her friends. "We usually come back to hostel by 6pm. In case if we need extra time, we will inform warden, but try to come as early as possible. Police vans will do rounds in evenings," she added.
In case of emergencies, either hostel wardens or housekeeping staff accompany the students. But for parents or guardians with identity card issued by the hostels, random visitors are not entertained at the hostels.
"We have instructed not to allow strangers inside the hostel premises. If students fail to reach the hostel within the deadline, we make sure that they produce their identity card, enter in late register book and meet the warden," security guards claim.
Hostels have many other rules too ensure students' safety. They have to take prior permission from the warden if they are coming late to hostel. In some hostels, students have to write a permission letter for wardens and enter the same in a book.
All hostels have two wardens working on shift basis. "If any girl feels unsafe or experiences any untoward incident, they can inform us. We will be friendly with them," the wardens added.
With general public also being allowed inside the university campus, some girls feel little insecure. Girl students returning to hostel after 6.30pm make sure that they are in a group or are escorted by any male friend to the hostel.