Himachal mandates campus security officers after Punjab unrest

Himachal Pradesh will require all 17 private universities to appoint nodal security officers who will coordinate with district police chiefs, following violent incidents at Lovely Professional University and Chitkara University in neighbouring Punjab. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by DGP Ashok Tiwari at Police Headquarters in Shimla on Monday, 12 October 2026, on directions from chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The new measures include joint campus security audits, standard operating procedures for emergencies, stricter monitoring of entry and exit points, visitor verification, hostel safety, and police verification of private security personnel. Universities must also designate an authorised spokesperson and coordinate with police cybercrime and media cells to counter rumour-mongering on social media. The meeting urged institutions to support the state’s anti-drug ‘anti-chitta’ campaign and promote cyber safety, including emergency helpline 112 and the ‘Track Me’ facility for women. A memorandum of understanding between universities and police is under discussion.