4 boys intrude into girls’ hostel

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 12

Nursing students of Dr Vidya Sagar Institute of Mental Health here today held a demonstration on the hospital premises after around four boys allegedly intruded into the girls’ hostel and misbehaved with several girl students this morning.

Students alleged that there were no security arrangements on the hostel premises. Police officials headed by ACP (North) Kawaldeep Kaur reached the spot and started investigations. They have caught a couple of suspects including a ward of a hospital employee. However, they were later let off after the girls did not file any written complaint regarding the incident.

The students went on a rampage and damaged the car of the Director of the institute, Dr BL Goel, besides manhandling a couple of employees of the institute who tried to go outside the gate. They closed down the gates and did not allow anyone to go out or come inside the hospital. Even mediapersons had a tough time to gain entry. They did not let the employees, who reside in the quarters inside the premises of the hospital, to accompany their wards to school. The police officials had a tough time in pacifying and convincing the girl students. Patients coming to the hospital for a check-up also faced hardships.

Being one of the premier mental health institutes of northern region, a number of nursing students from various parts of Punjab and neighbouring states come here for one-month long training. They stay amidst the makeshift arrangements made at the empty quarters meant for the employees of the hospital. Around eigtht to10 students are accommodated in a single room, said the students.

While giving details, they said around two youths gained entry inside a room of the hostel and misbehaved with girls. A couple of their accomplices were standing on the ground. When they raised the alarm, the accused fled. They alleged that there was lack of security arrangements at the hostel.

During police investigations, they identified a youth who lives in one of the nearby quarters. This led to an agitation by the families living in the quarters who stormed into the room of Goel and expressed their resentment.

On the other hand, the students were not relenting. Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police Dhruman Nimblay and JS Walia had to come to the spot to pacify them. They assured them to take action against the culprits and asked them to file a written complaint. Former Punjab Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla also reached there and calmed them down. In the afternoon, the girls refused to give a written complaint. Later a case was registered on the statement of Goel.

Goel said the hospital witnesses arrival of a huge number of students which is difficult to accommodate on the hostel premises. He said they would be regulating this aspect and the hostel would be provided to a limited number of students. “Besides enhancing the security cover near the hostel, CCTV cameras would also be installed, so that this does not happen again,” he said. The students, who belonged to a nursing institute in Panipat (Haryana), were relieved in the afternoon.

ACP Kawaldeep Kaur said while a case has been registered, a PCR team would be stationed outside the institute. Besides patrolling would be started near the hostel premises for security.