SB wants police posts inside universities

November 13, 2011, 9:51 pm, The Island.


by Norman Palihawadana

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake yesterday dropped a bombshell when he announced his intention to introduce police posts inside universities to deal with student violence.

Dissanayake told The Island that police presence within university premises was almost universal. He said most foreign universities had their police units.

Violent clashes between student unions becoming a common occurrence, authorities had no alternative but to introduce police posts within universities to combat the growing menace, he said.

In the latest clash to occur in a Lankan university, two student groups of the science faculty of the Kelaniya University clashed last Thursday with at least half a dozen undergrads being wounded, being attacked by knives or stones. The Minister said discussions in this regard to post both male and female cops inside the universities were already underway and they hoped to introduce the measure next year to prevent future such clashes. At present police was summoned only after a clash.

If the police were already inside campuses they could nip any trouble in the bud or otherwise summon reinforcements within minutes if a situation was getting out of control, the Minister said.