The Saturday night incident at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Bangalore, where girl students had a harrowing time after a male cook assaulted them, raises serious questions about their safety.
The HSR Layout police, investigating the case, have also pointed out laxity in the security on the campus. After analysing the scene of crime, they have blamed the college authorities for their negligence.
“The college authorities should not have allowed a male member to stay on the campus where girls are residing. The accused was not only allowed to move freely through the corridor of the hostel, but had also consumed alcohol. This shows lack of supervision and sheer negligence,” the police said.
Students said the canteen was barely a few feet from one of the hostel blocks, but were unaware of the canteen employees living on campus. The police, who have detained the cook and are waiting for the management to file a complaint, said: “The cook, who was under the influence of alcohol, was brought to the station by one of the security guards alleging misbehaviour with the students staying in the hostel. We questioned him in detail, but he feigned ignorance. However, we are waiting for the college authorities to come and file a detailed complaint. As of now, the police have booked him under ‘non-cognizable offence’,” a police officer said.
The NIFT incident has raised questions about security at educational institutions as the gang-rape of a student on the Jnana Bharathi campus of Bangalore University (BU) is still fresh in the city’s memory.
‘Reviewing security’
Terming the incident as “unfortunate”, V. Sivalingam, director, NIFT Bangalore, said he met students on Sunday morning and sought suggestions to review security measures.
“We have already initiated installing surveillance cameras on campus. We are also going to change the security service provider and construct grills and walls around the girls’ hostel.”
