COIMBATORE: A combined campus safety and crime prevention initiative will be launched by Coimbatore city and district police in collaboration with heads of educational institutions to enhance campus security and prevent student involvement in criminal activities. This was one of the action plans finalised at a special consultative meeting on campus safety conducted by city and district police with educational administrators and higher education department representatives at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex in Peelamedu on Friday.The meeting decided that all colleges must set up a cyber unit or social media monitoring unit to keep track of students’ online activities. Meetings will be held during the first week of every month with the district superintendent of police and deputy superintendents of police to share crucial intelligence on criminal or suspicious activities. Any instances of drug abuse, online gambling, cybercrime, betting or illegal social media activities must be promptly reported to the police during monthly meetings.Institutions must install fully operational CCTV cameras with backup facilities in hostels, maintain proper gate entry/exit logs, and record latecomers. Institution flying squads will monitor off-campus PG accommodations and rented homes, checking for early warning signs like absenteeism, behavioural changes or drug involvement.Colleges will establish specialized counselling setups featuring professional psychologists to deal with social deviance. Additionally, a mentor system assigning one teacher per group of students will be mandatory. Colleges are required to regularly keep parents updated on both the academic performance and behavioural patterns of their children.The meeting was chaired by senior law enforcement and education officials, including city commissioner of police N Kannan, west zone inspector general of police R V Ramya Bharathi, district superintendent of police A Pavankumar Reddy and Coimbatore range deputy inspector general of police P Samynathan. As many as 231 delegates representing 128 colleges participated in the meeting.
