'Streetlights, night patrol on varsity campuses'

The State government was committed to taking all necessary steps to prevent crimes on university campuses, Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande said here on Sunday, referring to the recent alleged rape of a medical student in Manipal University.

He would talk to vice-chancellors of all universities and take suitable steps so that no illegal activity occurs on campuses, Deshpande told reporters after inaugurating a wedding hall here.

‘Barbaric’

The minister described the alleged rape as a “barbaric” act and said that Home Minister K J George had already visited the Manipal University and directed the officials concerned to take swift action to punish the guilty.

On its part, the Higher Education Department will take all necessary steps, including the installation of streetlights and introducing effective night patrolling system, to make university campuses free from all kinds of illegal activities.