Jagatsinghpur: With Valentines Day hardly a month away, a bizarre notice asking girl students to have a boyfriend by February 14 to be able to attend a college in Odisha has gone viral on social media.
The notice dated January 20 was allegedly issued by the principal of SVM Autonomous College in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur. “It is mandatory for all girls to have at least one boyfriend by 14th February. This has been done for security purpose. Single girls will not be allowed to enter college premises,” the notice read.
The girl students are also required to show a picture recently clicked with their boyfriend ‘in an attempt to spread love’.
“We have all seen the viral notice. This does not seem real. Some mischievous elements have made a fake notice viral. This has been done to malign the reputation of our college. Our Principal is a good man and we don’t think he would have issued such a notice,” a college student told media.
The notice did not have an official letter number, or college address and no contact number was mentioned on the letterhead.
The principal of the college, Bijay Patra, has denied having issued any such notice and lodged a complaint with police on Monday. “My scanned signature is being misused with the intention to tarnish my image and the reputation of the college. I have already filed a police complaint in this connection demanding punishment for the culprits,” Patra told the media.
Jagasinghpur police station IIC Subhranshu Parida said that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.