Security tightened for outsiders entering IIT-BHU after molestation of student; SHO removed

VARANASI: Security has been stepped up at IIT-BHU and a police officer has been shifted to the police lines for dereliction of duty, a day after a student was allegedly molested and stripped near her hostel, triggering a protest by hundreds of students.

Security guards deployed at IIT-BHU gates were seen to be carrying out strict checks on anyone entering the campus on Friday.

No arrests have been reported in the case till Friday afternoon.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bhelupur, Praveen Kumar Singh confirmed that Station House Officer (SHO) of Lanka police station Ashwini Pandey has been sent to the lines for dereliction of duty.

“A meeting was held with the Banaras Hindu University officials and it was decided to deploy constables at certain places across the campus to stop entry of the outsiders and prevent recurrence of any untoward incident. Besides in the four main gates of the university, constables will also be deployed at some other spots across the campus,” Singh said.

As of now the security arrangements of the campus were being taken care of by the guards deployed by the university administration, the ACP said. However, additional police forces have been deployed at several places inside the university.

Police have formed several teams to identify and arrest those accused of molesting the university student. Police teams are scouring CCTV footage of cameras inside the campus and nearby areas, and are also using mobile surveillance to track the attackers.

Meanwhile, the students who had gathered near IIT-BHU’s Rajputana Hostel and protested against the incident, called off their protest late Thursday night.

Hundreds of BHU students held a protest on Thursday, claiming that outside elements were involved in the incident and demanded that outsiders be banned from entering the campus.

A student, who participated in the protest on conditions of anonymity said, “We called off the protest after a meeting with the director of the institute and senior police officials who assured us of our security and swift action against those involved in the incident.”

University officials said that classes resumed as normal in the campus and were being attended by the students.