Pondy DGP, SP asked to provide security to university

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Special SP attached to Pondicherry University and the DGP to provide protection to the university and to appear before the court on November 7 with a status report.

Justice N Kirubakaran gave the directive when a writ petition from C Vinod Kumar of Lawspet, doing his second year master’s degree in Library and Information Science in the University, came up on Thursday.
According to the petitioner, the university was functioning without a regular Vice-Chancellor (V-C), Registrar and Controller of Examinations for more than two years.

The atmosphere was not conducive for education as there was always disturbance, in view of people forming groups and fighting with each other. The groups not only consisted of teaching and administrative staff, but also students. The students and teachers association had also resolved to declare the chamber of the V-C (in charge) as a crime scene and keep it locked. By extension, Anisa B Khan, V-C in-charge, was described as an ‘accused’ and they called for sealing of the crime scene namely, her office, the petitioner said.

“It is unfortunate that the V-C is sought to be prohibited from entering her office. If there are any allegations against the V-C, there are ways and means to fight as per law and they cannot prevent her from entering into her office,” the judge said.

All this demonstrated prima facie that the situation had become volatile and it would go out of control. The university was marred by violent incidents. In view of this, the university SSP and DGP were directed to give police security to prevent any untoward incident vitiating the atmosphere.

The judge suo motu impleaded the SSP and DGP as parties in the plea and directed them to answer a set of questions with regard to maintaining peace in the university. They should appear before the court on Nov 7 with the status report, the judge said.