Min Chandrakant Patil calls for strict adherence to security protocols in girls' hostels

Minister Chandrakant Patil held meeting with Higher and Technical Education dept officials/ Sourced Photo

Maharashtra's Higher and Technical Education Minister, Chandrakant Dada Patil, has mandated that tight security protocols be adopted in all girls' hostels to protect student safety. Patil has stated that all necessary security arrangements should be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and that relevant agencies must accept full responsibility for upholding these standards.

The decision came during a high-level meeting led by Patil, which focused on security measures in girls' hostels run by the Higher and Technical Education Department. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Vikas Chandra Rastogi, Director of Technical Education Dr Vinod Mohitkar, Deputy Secretary Ashok Mande, Deputy Secretary Pratap Lubal, Joint Director Prakash Bachhav, and other Department of Higher and Technical Education officials.

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Security measures of girls' hostel in Maharashtra: Minister says regular monitoring of security systems is a must

Taking updates on the security measures at girl students' hostels across the state, Patil stressed the importance of hostel security, He said, " There should be regular monitoring of the safety measures, continuous and regular review of the situation at every hostel."

He also suggested exploring the possibility of assigning local district officials as guardians or wardens for the hostels, ensuring an additional layer of oversight and accountability.

The minister underscored that stringent measures are crucial to safeguarding students in hostels and warned that any delay or negligence in implementing security protocols would result in strict action against the responsible parties.

Security measures of girls' hostel in Maharashtra: Safety protocols under scrutiny after rape-murder of student in state-run hostel

These measures come as part of the government's broader commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of students residing in educational institutions across the state.

Security measures at girls' hostels have come under scrutiny following a tragic incident last year in June when a college student from Bandra was allegedly raped and murdered in her room on the fourth floor of the Savitribai Phule Girls' Hostel in Marine Drive. The prime suspect, a security guard named Prakash Kanojia, was later found dead as well.

After the state-appointed committee's preliminary investigation into the 19-year-old student's rape and murder, the hostel warden was suspended on June 16. The report, issued by the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education, highlighted negligence by the warden-led hostel administration. In response, Patil then announced that female security guards would be deployed after a comprehensive review of security at all government hostels under the Higher and Technical Education Department's jurisdiction. However, this measure has yet to be fully implemented across many girls' hostels in the state.