Fearing trouble, students leave Sirsa varsity hostels

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 21

Anticipating trouble in view of the verdict in the case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, a majority of students in four hostels of Chaudhary Devi Lal University in Sirsa have left for home.

Sources said a majority of girl inmates of Kalpana Chawla Girls Hostel and Mata Harki Devi Girls Hostel left for home on Saturday. Some left on Sunday and others today.

“Ever since news of the verdict and possible violence started coming in, girls were showing signs of fear. Parents of some girls called us and expressed their concern,” said a woman teacher.

In Sardar Patel Hostel and Lala Lajpat Rai Hostel, both boys’ hostels, 20 to 30 per cent students left for home. Sources said many others planned to leave for home in the coming two days.

“Attendance was very thin today in most of the departments where hostel inmates were more in strength,” said another teacher. She said the next four days were likely to be unannounced holidays.

At Jan Nayak Chaudhary Devi Lal Vidyapeeth, Chief Warden Ramesh Mehta said parents of students, particularly girls, were showing concern for the past two or three days.

Meanwhile, the government today directed V Umashankar, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to assist the Sirsa administration with immediate effect, in addition to present duties.

Umashankar was the Sirsa DC in 2007 when the dera-Sikh violence erupted after Ram Rahim Singh was booked for blasphemy.

Bijender Singh, SDO (Civil), Sirsa, held a meeting with members of the peace committee and sought cooperation in maintaining peace. SDM Satbir Singh Jangu held such a meeting in Fatehabad.