The shocking sexual assault of a female student at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad on Wednesday, October 18, has raised several questions about internal security when it comes to the safety of students, especially young women on the campus. Despite almost 220 security cameras being installed in EFLU over the last four years, the incident was not caught on any camera. Students are now raising questions as to whether these cameras are there for security reasons, or for surveillance by the administration.
The alleged assault on October 18, took place at approximately 10 pm by two unidentified perpetrators near the staff quarters. When TNM visited the campus, at the entry itself, over a dozen cameras were installed around the walkway at Gate No 2. The security cameras were seemingly irregularly positioned in areas frequented by students, such as the canteen and near the open auditorium. Sources told TNM that there are about 220 security cameras in the 13 hectares, but it is unclear how many are functional.
The campus also includes staff quarters for teaching and non-teaching staff, located at the periphery. These areas lack surveillance cameras and are less frequently accessed by students. Peers of the sexual assault survivor also told TNM that the incident transpired at Gate No. 3 near the staff quarters, just under 100 meters from where security guards were stationed. The area, they said, is also well-illuminated by streetlights. The survivor was found on the night of October 18 by a male and a female student near the now-inactive Old Health Centre.
The campus also employs over a hundred security guards and is in close proximity to the Osmania University Police Station. This, students say, raises questions about the purpose of installing cameras on such a small campus - asking whether it is meant for student surveillance or security. “It's concerning that despite the presence of a large security force, the students couldn't be adequately protected,” remarked an EFLU student, who did not want to be named.
Students also allege that the administration's aim has always been to establish constant surveillance and stifle dissenting voices. In May 2022, the university issued a circular that prohibited non-academic gatherings on the campus. In 2020, amid protests across India against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) Bill, EFLU students claimed they were locked inside the campus, preventing them from participating in external protests.
The incident was preceded by protests on October 16 by EFLU students, who demanded that the administration establish the Sensitisation, Prevention, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment (SPARSH) body through elections and the reservation of a seat for an LGBTQ candidate. The protest ended on October 17, following which the assault occurred on October 18, leading to another student protest on October 19. As a result, the EFLU Proctor Samson lodged a complaint against the protestors with the Osmania University Police, and 11 students were booked.
In response to this, three Members of Parliament (MP) from Kerala have written to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Commission for Women (NCW). The MPs have also demanded an investigation into the matter and authorities have been asked to revoke the case against the students. The EFLU administration has also announced the extension of the Dussehra holidays till October 19. Students alleged this was done to prevent any more protests.