Regulating PGs is almost impossible, say cops

With rapists and other sexual predators targeting PG accommodations and women’s hostels in the city, their security has become a matter of huge concern. 

Although the police had issued guidelines in 2014 following the rape of a techie in a PG accommodation in Doddathogur near Electronic City, most  PG accommodation owners don’t bother to follow them.

The guidelines insist on such facilities having a security guard, installing surveillance cameras, keeping a log of their guests' backgrounds and registering their establishments with the BBMP.

But in the absence of a mechanism to monitor these PG accommodations,  the police feels helpless in the matter. Noting that most  PG facilities are unregulated, a senior police officer says its almost impossible to monitor them.

“Even if PG set-ups are regulated, it will be practically impossible to monitor them to see if they are following the guidelines laid down. We could prepare a list of all such facilities in the jurisdiction of all police stations, but  new ones could emerge, making it will be  difficult to keep track of all of them. Also, monitoring all the facilities periodically will be a herculean task as we are already  short of staff,” he said.

A police inspector from the central division says beat constables are expected to handle such responsibility. “But we can take no legal action against the owners of PG facilities if they are  not adhering to the guidelines. All we can do is ask them to follow them,” he explained.

Former DGP, Dr. D. V. Guruprasad says in the absence of a law to keep the PG facilities in line, the police may have a hard time keeping tabs on them. “It's the responsibility of the PG owners to ensure the safety of their guests. They should appoint security guards after a proper background check. Also,  those who stay in such facilities should take care of themselves by bolting their doors.  We found that serial rapist, Shivarama Reddy, who was arrested recently, had gained easy access to his victims because their doors were not locked,” he revealed, adding, “Not taking proper security measures is nothing but negligence and it should be treated like  abetment of a crime. If legal action is taken against some of these owners, others will fall in line.”