Around 1,000 women stay at the 11 girls’ hostels, which do not have security guards or any other system to check the visitors. The damaged lights at the hostel gates further complicate the situation.

The university’s executive committee decided to post guards at the entry points to the hostel campus five hours after the incident.

This was not the first time the security in the campus came under the scanner. After the theft of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel medallion in 2005, the security in the campus had been reviewed.

“We have received complaints about the inadequate security inside the campus which led to the incident. We are investigating the matter. If the varsity authorities ask for security, we are ready to provide it,” said Birbhum police superintendent Laxminarayan Meena.

There are 11 hostels for the female students, including Mrinalini hostel for graduation students, and Sree Sadan for higher secondary. Apart from hostels, a large number of students also stay in unfenced staff quarters, which pose a greater security risk.

The university boasts of 180 private security guards and 65 guards of the Watch and Ward department.

But none of these guards are posted at girls’ hostels. The area where the girls’ hostels are located is fenced and have 11 drop gates. But the gates are unmanned and open for 24 hours.

Further, the campus has no boundary wall and thousands of tourists and visitors loiter around. Women students say that at night, the field facing the hostels becomes a den for criminals.

Chaitali Mal, an MA final-year student who stays in the hostel said: “We have to report back to the hostel at 9 pm and sign in. But there is no security at the hostels neither have we seen a guard. We cannot approach anyone when we face problems.”

Four months ago, a girl was reportedly abducted and tortured. The students and teachers claim they have complained to the authorities regarding the security situation a number of times, but the latter have failed to take any steps.