Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Now, AIIMS students in ragging row

TNN 24 August 2009, 12:49am IST

NEW DELHI: After JNU, it's the turn of another premier institute to be in the news for an alleged incident of ragging. According to sources at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, three students were found ragging their juniors on Friday evening. A formal inquiry has been constituted, with the report expected on Tuesday.

The incident allegedly occurred earlier in the week, when two students were found in the hostel room of a senior by the hostel warden. According to highly placed sources in AIIMS, three senior students, including an intern, were with the freshers. The matter was reported to the hostel superintendent, who in turn informed the institute authorities. Said dean of students, Dr Rani Kumar, "On August 20, there was a freshers' party in the institute. Our anti-ragging squad, which conducts surprise raids till August 31, found some freshers in the room of a senior. The seniors claimed they were interacting about study material. However, the matter has been taken up and an inquiry constituted to verify the details of the incident."

Sources say a formal complaint was filed only on Saturday morning by hostel authorities. No student has formally complained. Though no one in the institute was willing to provide details, sources admitted that the incident fell within the parameters of ragging as defined by the Supreme Court.

AIIMS officials said that an inquiry, under the dean, had been constituted by the director of the institute, with the report expected on Tuesday. Added Dr Kumar, "Since all the freshers had left over the weekend for their local guardians' residences, questioning could not be done. Once they are back on Monday, the report will be filed to the director by Tuesday."

Meanwhile, the dean will also be addressing all freshers on Monday to ascertain about other incidents that may have taken place. A separate round of questioning of seniors on the matter will also take place. Sources claim the move comes after the parent of one of the students called up the institute authorities regarding the incident.

The incident, which comes close on the heels of JNU suspending its students for ragging some days ago, is a wake-up call for the institute which was one of the first to constitute an anti-ragging squad, say sources.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is a case of ragging only. Thus concerned seniors should be punished, which should be an example for others in the country.