With the post of Superintendent of Police on special duty remaining vacant at Pondicherry University, the students and the faculty have expressed their apprehensions about their safety.
Since the university was established, the security and vigilance has been under the charge of a Superintendent of Police from the Puducherry Police. However, the post has remained vacant since December last, when the SP was repatriated.
“In December, the police received a letter asking for the repatriation of Palanivel, the Superintendent in charge. We acceded to their request and transferred him to Karaikal.
No request for replacement The university has not asked for a replacement, and the police will not interfere in university matters without instructions from the authorities,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Omvir Singh said.
According to sources, Mr. Palanivel had been appointed for one year. He was later appointed as member-secretary of a tender committee in October last to appoint a new security team.
At that time, the old security team had gone to court stating that the appointment process was not transparent. Before the matter was taken up, Mr. Palanivel had written to the university, asking that he be removed from the committee.
This was followed by a letter asking for repatriation. This letter was forwarded by the university to the Police Department. It was during this period that the current security officer, Bushan Sudhakar, was appointed in charge of the security, the source said.
“When there was a policeman in charge of security, there was a sense of security, since matters like the entry of a nude person into the women’s hostel could be referred to the police.
Now, it is the university authorities who are in charge of these issues,” one of the girl students said. Even the boys feel unsafe at times. While there have been no major issues of safety, the detention of a student by the authorities for over 24 hours without any serious charge has left them feeling apprehensive.
Speaking to The Hindu , Vice-Chancellor Chandra Krishnamurthy said the university had relieved the previous SP based on his request. Now, with the elections under way, the police officers would be be busy.
Once the elections were over, the university would consider requesting the police for an SP to fill the vacancy.
