IIT Madras: Ex-student out on bail breaks into girls’ hostel; students question security system

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) students alleged that a former male student, who was out on bail, was caught in one of the ladies washrooms in Sabarmati hostel. He had attempted to break-in twice previously and was arrested by the police for trespassing and is on bail, ChintaBar, an independent student body in IIT-M said.

“This indicates the failure on the part of the security mechanism as the perpetrator is known and a repeated offender. While the measures taken by the institute to increase security usually delays or restricts the freedom of movement of students, workers, and staff inside the campus, a repeated offender was able to pass through all the mechanisms including the security presence at the gates, hostel and the CCTV cameras,” the student body said.

In another incident, a group of thieves snatched things from students near the Taramani gate.

The IIT Madras students demanded the administration to improve the security and not restrict the freedom of students especially girl students or their access to academic facilities. “It is the perpetrators who should be controlled, not the students,” it added.

ChintaBar pointed out that the Krishna gate was closed down in 2019 without consulting students or the day scholars and workers accessing the gate “in the name of safety of girl students living in the Tunga hostel”. “We believe such measures did not bring the intended results other than restricting the movement of students,” it said.

Students of Sabarmati hostel have also complained about the lack of transparency in passing of the information with regard to the break-in incidents.

The students body demanded that the appropriate security measures be taken to prevent perpetrator from entering girls hostels and increase the number of security personnel and CCTV cameras near the hostels in such a manner that it “does not affect the day-to-day activities of the residents or their privacy”.

It also demanded the administration to communicate proactively when such incidents happen and actively follow up on the legal process to make sure the perpetrator is punished.