Mysuru: MLC V.S. Ugrappa, the Chairman of Expert Committee on Preventing Sexual Violence Against Women and Children, visited the Women’s Nursing Hostel of K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital run by Mysore Medical College and Research Institute yesterday and was appalled at the conditions there.
He warned the authorities that if things were not set right, he will be forced to raise the issue in the Assembly and recommend for punitive action.
The low-security and vulnerable hostel was in the news recently as a pervert had entered the building at nights and was seen taking away clothes that were kept for drying. The pervert, in an inebriated condition, had even assaulted some students and had taken away their mobile phones. Following the incident, many hostelites had vacated the rooms and had proceeded to their native places as their safety was at stake.
Following media coverage on the pathetic state of the hostel, Ugrappa visited the hostel premises last evening and was shocked to see the rooms, stinking beds, unclean toilets, mosquito menace, and stinking drainages around the hostel campus.
Some of the students who were living in the hostel told Ugrappa that their condition was worst than migrant workers who are usually housed in asylums. They said that all these years, no action was taken despite many complaints by the nursing students. Some students said that they were forced to come back to the hostel as exams were nearing. “But we are constantly living under fear that the pervert might enter the hostel again,” a student said.
Visiting the rooms of the hostel, Ugrappa took the authorities to task on the inhuman conditions. “I have come here for some time and I cannot bear the stench. Think of students who have to live here 24×7 and all through their courses,” he said.
Nursing students air their woes to MLC V.S. Ugrappa during his visit to the hostel in city last evening.
Blaming the hostel management for the mess, Ugrappa said it is due to the lack of adequate security at the hostel, a pervert had the courage to enter the hostel during night and assault students.
Later speaking to reporters, the MLC said that it was proved beyond doubt that the hostel and college authorities have failed to protect the interests of nursing students who come from other places and States.
“Instead of protecting the student interests, these people have shut the hostel and have asked the students to leave the premises. This is unprecedented and we have no such example in the State. I will bring this to the notice of higher officials and the Minister in-charge,” he added.
Training the guns on the hostel administration, the MLC asked if the merit students have to pay for their hostel fee, then what happens to the annual government scholarship received by the students. The authorities, however, did not have any answers to Ugrappa’s queries.
Taking on the Police too, Ugrappa chided them for not being able to arrest the pervert even after days of the incident.
“Despite having CCTV visuals, so far the Police have not been able to arrest him. Then what more clue does the Police need,” he questioned.
Additional Deputy Commissioner T. Yogesh, Karnataka Women’s Commission’s former Chairperson Manjula Manasa, K.R. Hospital Nursing College Principal Firdous Fatima and others were present during the MLC’s inspection.
This post was published on August 1, 2018 6:36 pm