Delhi Police orders regular outreach to students in PGs, rented accommodations

Delhi Police has directed its station house officers (SHOs) and assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) to regularly interact with students living in paying guest (PG) and other rented accommodations in the city and address their concerns, officials said on Wednesday.

The directive follows the Satya Niketan tragedy and subsequent orders from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who instructed the police and other authorities to promptly address the issues faced by students living in PG accommodations.

The police have been asked to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) by September 20, the officials said.

According to the order issued to SHOs and ACPs, officers in areas having a significant concentration of colleges, universities, student accommodations and PG facilities have been directed to undertake regular interactions with students residing within their respective jurisdictions.

The outreach will focus on security and safety concerns, local crime-related issues, harassment, women’s safety and problems related to accommodation, the officials said.

Police officers will also coordinate with concerned civic agencies wherever an issue raised by students requires intervention from another department.

Sandhu has also directed the Delhi government to constitute a committee to frame a policy for regulation and monitoring of PG accommodations.

The lieutenant governor had emphasised the need to strengthen police outreach and build confidence among the student community, officials said.

Five students and two labourers were killed in the collapse of a five-storey building serving as a paying guest accomodation, in Satya Niketan area of South West Delhi, on September 6, they said.