Coimbatore: Hundreds of women students staying at the hostel of Sri Sai Ranganathar Engineering College in Thondamuthur staged a midnight protest, alleging inadequate security arrangements and the absence of responsible personnel during night hours.
According to the students, the hostel accommodates hundreds of women students, but no woman warden, watchman or security personnel is reportedly available at night to monitor the premises or attend to emergencies. The students said that although the main entrance gate is locked during the night, there is allegedly no designated staff member inside the hostel to respond to medical emergencies or handle any untoward situation.
They also claimed that, over the past few days, they had repeatedly heard sounds suggesting that an unidentified person was moving or running within or around the hostel premises. A similar incident was reportedly noticed late on Monday night, triggering panic among the students.
Amid the commotion and fear, one of the hostel residents reportedly suffered a seizure and collapsed. The students alleged that the absence of a woman warden and immediate medical or first-aid assistance further heightened their concerns.
Following the incident, the students gathered on the hostel premises and staged a protest, demanding immediate steps to strengthen security and ensure adequate support during emergencies. The protesting students questioned who would be held responsible if a student fell ill or faced an untoward incident at night in the absence of a woman warden or security personnel. They urged the authorities to address the security concerns before any serious incident occurs.
College management representatives and police personnel reached the hostel after being informed about the protest and held discussions with the students.
Parents and social activists have urged the Coimbatore District Collector and Superintendent of Police to conduct an immediate inspection of the hostel and take necessary measures to strengthen security. They have also called for the installation of CCTV cameras and the deployment of security personnel around the clock.
The allegations regarding the absence of a woman warden, security personnel and emergency medical facilities were made by the protesting students and could not be independently verified.
