Patna: Bihar police have issued fresh guidelines for girls` hostels and lodges following the suspected rape and death of a NEET aspirant in a hostel in Patna.
License at Risk
Licenses of girls’ hostels may be revoked or not granted at all if they do not adhere to the new guidelines. Hostels have to take a number of measures like mandatory registration with the Bihar Police, detailed records of residents, and installation of CCTV cameras to ensure the safety of girls.
In a letter dated February 4 to the superintendents of police of all 40 police districts, Additional Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (weaker sections) Amit Kumar Jain, directed mandatory registration of all hostels across the state. “Operators of every girls’ hostel/lodge must be advised to register their establishment with the competent authority. Every police station must maintain a mandatory register of all girls’ hostels/lodges in its jurisdiction, containing full details of the establishment,” the letter said.
Police Monitoring
District officials have also been directed to ensure their subordinates follow these instructions strictly. A monthly progress report must be submitted to the office of the Additional Director General of Police by the 15th of every month.
A separate register must be maintained at the police station, containing the complete address of the hostel, the owner's name, and other details. This register will be the responsibility of the police station's women's help desk.
Every hostel must have a female warden who is present 24 hours a day. Police verification will be mandatory for all staff, including the warden, guards, cooks, and cleaning staff, and all details will be recorded in the police station register.
CCTV & Security
For security, high-resolution CCTV cameras with voice recording capabilities will be installed at the main entrance, corridors, dining area, and throughout the premises. The recordings must be stored for at least 30 days. Adequate lighting, strong doors, internal latches, robust locks, and iron grills on windows will be mandatory. The size of the rooms and the number of students per room must comply with building codes. Cleanliness and hygiene will also be given utmost importance. A visitor register will be mandatory, recording the name, mobile number, and Aadhaar details of every visitor. The entry of men (including relatives) into the students' living areas will be strictly prohibited.
A separate visitor room will be provided for meetings. A biometric system will be used for recording the night attendance of students and staff. Posters displaying the local police station's contact information, the women's help desk number, the Abhaya Brigade contact, and the emergency number 112 will be put up in the reception and common areas of every hostel. Female students will be informed about the women's safety features of the 112 India app. In case of any emergency or suspicious activity, the warden must immediately inform the parents and the police.
The station house officer, along with the women's help desk and the Abhaya Brigade, will inspect these arrangements. The Abhaya Brigade will visit the hostels daily, interact with the students, and report any problems to the police station.
