After facing flak, University of Mysore withdraws circular banning movement of girl students post 6.30 pm

Karnataka Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said he asked Vice-Chancellors of Universities to take security measures and create safe campuses.

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New Delhi: After facing flak for its order, the University of Mysore withdrew its circular imposing restrictions on the movement of girl students alone on its Manasagangotri campus after 6.30 pm, PTI reported. 

Informing about the decision, Karnataka Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Saturday (August 28) that he instructed Vice-Chancellors of Universities to withdraw the order as soon as it was issued and asked them to take security measures and create safe campuses. He added that generally campuses of Universities are vast but to ban the movement of girl students is not correct. 

“In the wake of the tragic incident in Mysore, I informed VCs to withdraw the order as soon as circular issued by University of Mysore forbidding student movement at university campus after 6.30 pm. Accordingly, it was withdrawn,” ANI quoted Ashwath Narayan as saying. 

All University Chancellors are advised to take safety measures to create safe University campuses. For proper monitoring, security personal must do patrolling, all VCs have been directed to take necessary actions to maintain law and order: Karnataka Minister for Higher Education — ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2021

The order came in the backdrop of the gang-rape of a college student near Chamundi foothills on the outskirts of Mysuru on August 24. As per PTI sources, the circular was issued as part of "safety and precautionary measure" following verbal instructions by police. Further, the sources informed that the entry of visitors to the Kukkarahalli lake premises has also been banned after 6.30 pm. 

“Security guards have been asked to patrol the campus from 6 pm to 9 pm”, they added. 

Meanwhile, five people were arrested in the Mysuru gang rape case on Saturday. Four accused were arrested in Sathyamangala, Tamil Nadu while the fifth was apprehended in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka, IANS cited police sources as saying. 

A student was allegedly gangraped by unidentified people at Chamundi Hills in the Mysuru district of Karnataka. The victim, a student of a private college, was crossing through that area on a bike with her male friend when she was attacked and raped by some men. The girl and her male friend, who was assaulted by the gang, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital. 

(With agency inputs)