The National Institute of Technology (NIT) is in talks with the Patna police over round-the-clock patrolling of its campus after a first-year student was allegedly molested on its premises late on Saturday evening.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj said three persons have been detained for questioning. The police have lodged an FIR on Monday against unknown persons involved in the incident after a complaint was sent from the institute management.

"We cannot reveal their identities because it has not been proved whether they were involved in the incident or not. We are questioning them for information. A construction work is going on at the NIT and labourers are putting up on the campus. We are ready to provide security to the college if the administration wants. A picket can be set up on the campus but a request has to come from the institute," the officer said.

The incident occurred around 10.15pm on Saturday when the student was on the phone at one of the three girls' hostels. An unidentified person had allegedly tried to gag her but two other boarders, who were returning to their rooms after dinner, raised an alarm after which the man fled. A team of policemen, led by deputy superintendent of police (town) Kailash Prasad, visited the NIT campus on Ashok Rajpath, around midnight and had to face the ire of the students. NIT director Asok De said the administration had a discussion with the police on ways to plug the security loopholes on the campus.

"Around 72 people look after the security of the NIT. All are former armymen working in three shifts. The institute has 3,300 students and hostel facilities are available for 600 students. A new hostel's construction is nearing completion with a lift being installed. The structure, which has to be handed over to the institute by August 31, comprises five floors and will house 450 students," De said.

The top two floors have been allotted to first-year girls and they have been secluded from the rest of the students, as the administration wants to protect them from any form of ragging. "Since the lift is being fitted, it could be possible that someone might have climbed up the top floors. We have had talks with the victim. According to her, she was sitting on the staircase and was over the phone when someone came from behind and tried to gag her. However, she freed herself and raised an alarm after which the person fled," De said.

The police said investigations into the case had revealed that 150 workers, including contractors, were staying on the campus. "They were called by the police on Monday afternoon and an identification parade was conducted in front of the victim and the two other girls. The girls said couldn't see the attacker. Even a ragging angle is being looked into," Nisar Ahmed, the station house officer of Pirbahore said.