IIT Bombay to Have All Women Canteen Staff, Beef Up Security After Mess Worker Held for Peeping in Ladies' Bathroom

After a canteen worker at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay was arrested for allegedly recording a video of the girls’ hostel bathroom, the institute is going to make several changes to its security process, reported the Free Press Journal. Students claim they have received emails about the changes the IIT authorities want to make and have sought their feedback on the proposed changes.

The students also claimed that IIT-B officials have found potential points of entry into the hostel after conducting an investigation. Those specific areas will now be sealed until permanent repairs are carried out. The number of male employees at the campus mess and the hostel will also likely be minimised and the night canteen will be closed till only women staff are hired, the students claimed.

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“The canteen will resume functioning once it is staffed exclusively by women. While immediate steps have been taken to ensure safety, there will be a safety audit of the other girls’ hostels too,” the institute spokesperson had said earlier.

On Sunday, a female student had noticed a mobile phone on a window outside the IIT Bombay ladies hostel bathroom, and alerted the authorities. Thereafter, the Powai police station was informed and a team rushed there. After conducting preliminary investigations, including questioning at least five canteen workers, the police identified a 22-year-old canteen worker as the prime suspect and arrested him.

Following the incident, IIT Bombay issued a statement saying that “there was an attempt to violate the personal space of women residents of a hostel”, by an employee of the night canteen, who was caught red-handed by the alertness of the women residents and handed over to the police. Gaps in the pipe ducts, which may have been used by the suspect, have been closed, and further discussions are on with the students to see what additional security measures can be taken, it added.

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