Berhampur: Private security guards stationed at Berhampur University since February last year have been removed from the campus.

"One supervisor, one inspector and 18 guards were deployed on the campus for one year with prior permission of the higher education department. Their term has expired," said university registrar Shailendra Dwivedi.

The university authorities had signed a MoU with the Executive Security Service Private Limited, Bhubaneswar, to appoint the private security guards, sources said. The university has spent Rs 25.80 lakh for the entire year, sources said.

President of the students union V. Srinivas Rao asked at a time security guards from the agencies in Berhampur provided guards at a monthly salary of Rs 6,500 and armed guard at Rs 7,000 a month, why had the university recruited guards at a monthly salary of Rs 10,600?

The university authorities have unnecessarily spent Rs 25.80 lakh, Rao alleged.

"Gherao of former registrar Ramesh Kerketa by a group of students at the guest house, stabbing a postgraduate student in front of the PG Council Hall, poster against some of the top-ranking officers and other such acts clearly reflect the inefficiency of the private security guards deployed at that time," he said.

According to campus supervisor Mihir Tripathy, the university had 11 night watchers.

"They are posted at the boys and girls hostels, administrative building, PG Council Hall, guest house and the residences of the vice chancellor and the registrar," Tripathy said. Some student leaders have demanded that security on Berhampur University campus must be further tightened. Though one police out post was opened on the campus under Gopalpur police station, one officer of deputy superintendent of police rank must be posted on the campus to supervise law and order, they demanded.