The state launched Shakti app and women commando (JAP-1) teams on International Women’s Day in Ranchi. But, welcome as they are, most college campuses where girls study are unsafe. Two colleges learnt their lesson after a kidnap bid and a brutal murder. Are others waiting for a crime before plugging gaps, wonders Arti S. Sahuliyar

 

 ALARMINGLY LAX 

RAM LAKHAN SINGH YADAV COLLEGE, KOKAR

• Status: Constituent college of Ranchi University (RU)

• Girl students: 3,500 out of 8,000 

• Security breach: College students and outsiders enter through the small gate as the big college entrance gate is locked. No guard was seen near the small gate. Ironically, guard room was locked. Students didn’t have college ID cards. The boundary wall at the rear of the 3-acre campus was broken. No CCTV cameras 

• Studentspeak

Local boys enter college premises and pass lewd comments 
Puja Rani, third-year political science

• Authorityspeak

We have guards but I guess they haven’t come today. CCTV camera will come up soon
Dr Dinesh Kumar, anthropology department head

 

SURAJ SINGH MEMORIAL COLLEGE, KANKE ROAD

• Status: Constituent college of RU 

• Girl students: 3,000 out of 8,000

• Security breach: One guard for the 0.73-acre college, no CCTV cameras, no student ID cards

• Studentspeak

Although we have small college campus but security is a big concern. How can we have just one guard on campus? 
Surabhi Rai, third-year geography  

• Authorityspeak

We are in the process of installing six CCTV cameras on our campus. One guard is enough 
Sudhir Kumar Verma, principal 

 

RANCHI WOMEN’S COLLEGE (ARTS & SCIENCE BLOCKS) CIRCULAR ROAD

• Status: Constituent autonomous college of RU, most popular girls’ college in the capital

• Girl students: 7,000

• Security breach: A single guard at each block. Three of the six CCTV cameras at the arts block don’t work; 15 CCTV cameras at science block do, but there is no one to check student ID cards. Boys enter campus through badly maintained boundary walls. The Oriental Bank inside campus provides a ready-made excuse for men to enter 

• Studentspeak

Boys forcefully enter the college. Our guard is of no use. Many boys sit inside our college campus, claiming they are waiting for their sisters
Manisha Jain, second-year physics 

• Authorityspeak

I agree a single guard is not enough as we have seen boys loitering. Since it’s a girls’ college, we need to tighten security. We have written to VC R.K. Pandey, approached Lalpur thana for patrolling and a police picket near science block
Meena Sahay, professor in-charge, science block 

 

MARWARI WOMEN’S COLLEGE, NEAR BADA TALAB

• Status: Constituent autonomous college of RU

• Girl students: 2,000-plus

• Security breach: A male and female guard each, four CCTV cameras; but not enough protection against trespassers, many who target younger intermediate girls

• Studentspeak

We feel unsafe inside campus. Last year, a teacher had misbehaved with a girl student. Both male and female guards are hardly seen near the gate
Mona Singh, second-year commerce 

• Authorityspeak

We demanded a police picket outside our college campus since our college is situated in Upper Bazar, a business hub. In the past we had reported a few incidents
E.A. Ind, in-charge 

 

LESSON LEARNT 

RANCHI COLLEGE, MORABADI

• Status: Constituent autonomous college of RU, one of the capital’s oldest 

• Girl students: 1,800 of 3,200

• Security: Near the college gate, security is tight as 4 policemen in uniform checking student ID card. Five CCTV cameras are installed at important areas of the college. Last year, a police picket was set up after a kidnap bid on a postgraduate student of economics, but it no longer exists.

• Studentspeak

Now we feel secure, thanks to the police. Otherwise, after last year’s incident, we had stopped attending college
Vinita Priyadarshini, PG student

• Authorityspeak

We’ve requested our VC to again ask for a police picket outside college campus
U.C Mehta, principal 

 

ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE, PURULIA ROAD

• Status: Autonomous college affiliated to RU 

• Girl students: 8,000 out of 12,000

• Security: Best in Ranchi. The grisly murder of Kushboo Kumari, an examinee, by her jilted lover on campus in 2011 spurred security measures which the college is maintaining since. Six male and female security guards are seen near entrance gate. No outsiders are allowed entry. Students are frisked and checked ID cards. A metal detector and all 
15 CCTV cameras work.

• Studentspeak

The Kushboo Kumari incident had spoilt the image of our prestigious college. But, now the college management 
is vigilant 
Neha Lakra, first-year intermediate science 

• Authorityspeak

Foolproof security is a priority here. We even ask guards to note down the registration numbers of vehicles entering the campus 
Kamal Bose, Hindi department head