 "BHU chief proctor Royona Singh patrols campus on bicycle, constitutes quick response team to boost security")
Adhering to her promise of stepping up efforts to maintain a strong vigil on Banaras Hindu University’s campus, newly-appointed chief proctor Royona Singh recently took rounds of the institution’s premises on a bicycle. She was escorted by her guards as she patrolled the area in the dark, as seen in the video. Royona has also constituted a quick response team (QRT) to ensure security on the campus, which would include three security guards and a driver. This team will move throughout the campus to ensure the safety of its students. Among other measures Royona has taken after the controversy broke out last week are trimming of trees and installing lights in dark areas, and renovating the barricade near the women’s hostel. A number of students, including women and two journalists, were injured in a baton charge by the police on 23 September at BHU, where a protest turned violent. Two days after the resignation of former chief proctor ON Singh, the 101-year-old institution —which has come under the scanner over the issue of women’s safety — decided to appoint Royona as his successor.
The video comes at a time when BHU Vice-Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi is at the receiving end of severe criticism for a bunch of reasons, one of them being viral footage of him berating the girl students of BHU for staging protests. Royona, an assistant professor at the Institute of Medical Science (anatomy department), is the first woman in the university’s history to hold the post of chief proctor. She also heads the women’s grievance cell of the university. After taking charge as the chief proctor, Royona had assured that she would keep safety and security as the first priority. “We’re here because of the students. The women come first, but everybody’s safety is my main concern,” she had said. She had also promised that BHU would impose no restrictions on the student over a dress code or for consumption of alcohol. With inputs from 101Reporters
