Sunday, September 13, 2009

University students held on suspicion of ragging in Andhra Pradesh

GUNTUR, September 12, 2009

At least 12 senior students of Acharya Nagarjuna University belonging to a student association were taken into custody in the early hours of Saturday by the Mangalagiri police, following complaints that they had abused the juniors in their hostel. The incident created a stir on the campus which remained closed on Saturday.

Police said that investigation into the complaint was still going on and pointed out no cases of ragging have been booked so far.

The incident took place on Thursday night when some seniors of National Dalit Student Federation (NDSF) rushed to the Ashoka hostel following reports that the pamphlets and papers relating to a meeting struck to the notice board had been torn off and demanded the juniors to name the culprits. Later, they asked all the juniors to assemble outside and reportedly abused them verbally.

Some of the juniors informed this to seniors and staged a sit-in protest on the university premises on Friday. They also lodged a police complaint at the Mangalagiri police station. Basing on the complaint, a police team swooped on the hostel in the early hours of Saturday where the seniors stay and picked up 12 students. The Circle Inspector, Mangalagiri, said that the students were still being questioned.

No comments: