Hyderabad: After a long, monotonous and stressful day of classes and assignments, students rush to their respective hostels heaving a sigh of relief. Once in their room, they drop their bags and often unwind with a cup of chai for that momentary peace of mind.
And then there is the darker side of staying in hostels, girls hostels especially so. Danger lurks in the corner as evidenced by the increasing number of cases of assaults, harassments and security breaches. These have raised alarm among students and authorities amid a growing demand for stricter security measures in and around hostels.
Many hostellers have often spoken about the gaps in security that make them vulnerable to potential threats and mischief.
A glaring faux pas is that many hostels operate with minimal security staff, most of whom are untrained for such a crucial job. In most instances, doubling up as security personnel in private-run hostels are members of the families who own the hostel or take them on lease.
A B. Tech student from Ibrahimpatnam, bemoaned, “The security staff in many hostels are not trained to handle serious issues. They are neither trained nor well-equipped. This leaves us in vulnerable situations.”
A police officer from Ibrahimpatnam zone emphasized the need for enhanced security, stating, “Hostel managements will now be pressed to update their CCTV cameras with night-vision technology to enable better surveillance.”
Many students pointed out that while police officers regularly conduct awareness programs on topics like cybercrime and initiatives of SHE Teams, they tend to overlook basic security measures.
“It is so terribly frightening that many hostel premises do not have posters or notices with important contact numbers,” said Ragini T, a first-year B. Tech student.
There is another sordid misnomer. In some areas like Ameerpet, SR Nagar and Yousufguda, overcrowded hostels and poor management contribute to a sense of insecurity among local residents.
In the past, SR Nagar police had implemented an application to track hostellers, which helped prevent incidents and even a suicide bid. Alas, this system is no longer in use.
Students are now calling for better security practices and increased transparency from every hostel management.
“We trust the hostel owners to keep us safe, but these incidents only break that trust,” one resident shared.
Speaking about the major bottlenecks, Druhan Chelimela, ABVP president, OU, told Deccan Chronicle, “Lack of permanent security maintenance in hostels is a major problem. Guards are appointed but none of them is a permanent employee. As a result, such guards tend to accord importance to protecting the inmates. Moreover, colleges need to have strict regulations for the male staff working in a woman’s hostels.”
Going further the student leader said, “For women in most hostels, the warden is the only person they can approach. Presently in most college hostels, the wardens are often not well-educated and do not care much about issues concerning women. Employees in the administration wing are only obsessed with issues like NAAC accreditation. There should be reasonable restrictions on wardens as regards the extent to their authority. We have come across instances where they cross the limits in the name of checking. Even the students should speak up wherever and wherever they notice injustice or harassment.”
Meanwhile, Cyberabad women safety wing DCP Srujana Karnam said, “The crux of the matter is in the mindset and how one goes about in a given situation. Whether college students ignore cries of a woman getting raped in the next room or a hostel warden not paying heed to the concerns of a woman feeling unsafe in the campus, it is all about how an individual measures up to handle the crisis.”
Speaking of quick responses, Srujana Karnam said, “In cases of sexual assault, it is better to always dial 100 for the quickest response. In cases of eve-teasing or blackmailing, they can contact SHE teams.”
