Students Temporarily Call Off Protest at Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Warn of Stronger Action if Demands Are Not Met

Andhra Pradesh: Students at the Central University of Andhra Pradesh in Anantapur district briefly halted their protest on Sunday night after local authorities, including the district collector and MLA, intervened. The university administration, under pressure, agreed to take more time to enhance campus security.

The protest was sparked by a disturbing incident that took place around 9 p.m. on Sunday, when unidentified men were allegedly seen inside the women’s washroom on campus. This incident caused widespread panic among students, raising serious concerns about the safety of the university's facilities.

Students immediately alerted university authorities, but their response was criticized as dismissive. Ashlin, a student at the university, told Deshabhimani, "They didn’t even bother to inform the police. It was the students who had to make the call." This lack of urgency from the administration further angered the students, who felt that their safety was being neglected.

Ashlin also pointed out that this was not an isolated incident. "A similar incident happened in December, when women students spotted men inside the toilet. Several times we found gutka wrappers and noticed shadows of people running and jumping out of the toilet. This is the third such incident to occur on campus," she said, highlighting the ongoing safety issues.

In response to the recurring incidents, students have been demanding stronger security measures, including the removal of the hostel warden, who they believe has been dismissive of their concerns, as well as the installation of CCTV cameras across the campus to enhance surveillance.

Students submitted a written demand to the university authorities, but their requests were not acknowledged in writing. Instead, the authorities attempted to settle the issue through a meeting with the collector, excluding the students from the discussion. This exclusion further fueled the frustration among the student body.

Tensions escalated as students took to the streets, blocking a road outside the university in protest. They called for immediate action from the administration to address their security concerns.

During the protest, the Vice Chancellor attempted to leave the campus, but was met with resistance from the students. It was only after the incident gained media attention that the district collector and MLA arrived on the scene to address the issue. The authorities requested more time to implement security measures, including increasing campus security personnel.

As of now, the protest has been temporarily called off, but students remain vigilant, demanding swift action to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. The Students Federation of India (SFI) District Committee and other students on campus have warned that if the university authorities fail to follow up on the case, improve security measures, or if such an incident repeats, they will return with stronger protests.