S Gopal Puri
Indora: A video showing students of Arni University being rescued by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams went viral on social media this week, sparking concern that the university campus itself had been flooded.
However, university authorities have clarified that the institution is safe and that the rescue operation was a precautionary step taken after heavy rains flooded the connecting roads.
Speaking on the situation, Trilochan Singh, a representative of Arni University, confirmed: “The university is not flooded. Around 450 students and staff members are absolutely safe inside the campus.
The precautionary evacuation was coordinated only because the approach roads leading to the university were waterlogged, which could have posed difficulties if the weather worsened.”
The region of Kangra, like many parts of Himachal Pradesh, has been witnessing heavy rainfall in recent days, leading to flash floods, landslides, and road blockages. Officials said that in such circumstances, precautionary measures are essential to ensure the safety of students and staff, especially in institutions located in hilly terrain.
Visuals of students boarding NDRF rescue vehicles quickly spread online, prompting widespread speculation about the severity of flooding in the university itself.
Authorities stressed that the viral clips created a misleading impression. The actual situation, they emphasized, was far less alarming than portrayed.
“Safety of students is our top priority,” Singh added. “We are grateful to the NDRF and district administration for their timely support. Their intervention was purely preventive, to avoid any risk in case of further rainfall or road blockages.”
Local administration officials echoed these sentiments, noting that the move was part of a broader disaster-preparedness effort in the flood-affected areas of Himachal Pradesh.
As weather forecasts predict more rain in the coming days, the precautionary evacuation stands as a reminder of the importance of preparedness in disaster-prone regions.
For now, students, staff, and the university premises remain safe, with normalcy gradually returning on campus.
