Bhubaneswar, Sept. 11: Security arrangements in colleges and universities have been beefed up ahead of the students' union elections to avoid a re-run of poll-related violence that several colleges have witnessed before.
Several posters of candidates contesting the polls have been torn by goons at Utkal University, Rama Devi Women's University, Rajdhani College and BJB Autonomous College in the past week. In order to avoid violence, college and university authorities have strengthened security on campus.
Utkal University has already formed special squad comprising head of departments, administrative officials and hostel superintendents to keep an eye on the law and order situation on campus. From September 15, hostel superintendents and assistant superintendents will keep round-the-clock vigil on the movement of students in all 14 hostels (seven boys and as many girls) to check entry of outsiders. Security at entrance and exit points have also been beefed up with around 50 former army personnel guarding the three gates. The authorities have decided to rope in 10 more for the next month.
Jayanta Parida, the security committee advisor, said entry of outsiders had been restricted and security at all gates upped.
"The elections will be held according to the Lyngdoh Commission recommendations and no violation would be tolerated," he said.
At Rama Devi Women's University, posters of presidential candidate Soubhagya Soumyashree Samal were burnt while those of Tanmayee Hota and Sangita Mohapatra were torn. Soubhagya said: "Such incidents are happening at night. As a result, no one has any idea about who is doing it. Security needs to be strengthened throughout so that such incidents do not happen."
Similar arrangements have been made at various other locations in the state.
Several universities and colleges have already installed closed circuit cameras at the gates to check the entry of outsiders. Elections at BJB Autonomous College were cancelled last year because of campus violence, and the administration has tightened security to avoid a repeat.
Principal Mohammed Nawaz Hasan said: "Students should maintain peace on campus. Students damaged CCTV cameras last year, but we have taken special care like deploying more security personnel."
