Saturday, August 25, 2012

7 students of Government Ayurvedic college held for thrashing batchmate

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-30/nagpur/32941265_1_batchmates-students-seniors

NAGPUR: City police have charged seven first year students of Government Ayurvedic College on Umrer Road with rioting and causing grievous hurt. One of their batchmates had lodged a complaint on Saturday evening that he and some of his friends had been subjected to ragging. Vishal Mali had approached police with visible injury marks on his body after being thrashed by batchmates over a trivial issue.

Acting on Mali's complaint, Sakkardara police arrested Sumeet Nake, Mahesh Kale, Kalpesh Katariya, Sharad Bajaj, Rupesh Sarpe, Bharat Ubhale and Prashant Nagre. All the accused and the victim are students of Bachelor of Ayurveda medicine and surgery (BAMS). Mali is the son of a reputed Ayurveda practitioner Dr Gajanan from Akola. The fight started over the use of warm water in washing clothes. Vishal was near the taps and was asked by Nake to go inside the bathroom to wash clothes. Vishal refused, leading to a heated argument between Vishal and Nake. Very soon Vishal was outnumbered by Nake and his friend, who pinned down Vishal and showering him with blows and punches. Kale fetched a stick and repeatedly hit Vishal.

After the incident, Vishal informed his father Dr Gajanan before heading to Sakkardara police station to report the matter. "I had already complained about harassment by seniors, which prompted them to devise a fresh strategy to corner me. The seniors urged my batchmates to mentally and physically torture me, which is no less than any ragging," said Vishal. Dr Gajanan said a complaint of ragging has been already given to the college in November last year. There was a compromise after that, but the situation did not change, and in fact worsened for his son Vishal, said Dr Gajanan, who vowed to take up the issue with the human rights commission.

Sources from Sakkardara police station said since the issue was between students of the same batch, the incident cannot be described as ragging. "Police cannot directly call it ragging, without the college and university authorities describing it as such after formal procedures and an internal inquiry," said an officer. Associate professor Dr EE Moses, also holding additional charge of hostel superintendent, said a committee was formed under Dean Dr Ganesh Mukkawar after Vishal complained of ragging, but the matter was amicably settled. "It seems the latest incident is another fight after sudden provocation," he said. Dr Moses, however, indicated that the latest issue would be brought before the authorities to decide the future course of action.

Complaints by other students too Nagpur:

Ankit Narwade, first year student of Government Ayurvedic college on Umrer road, said ragging in the institution had forced him to spend a couple of nights on the railway platform in the past. "I had to take shelter in a lodge for fear of being ragged in the hostel by seniors," he said. Another first year student, Pranab Kolhe, said that seniors needed to be addressed as 'sir' and one had to keep his eyes down when they passed by. The students also claimed that they would be locked inside the rooms and washrooms, asked to learn the names of seniors by heart, consume liquor and face humiliation, including keeping their head bowed while standing for long hours.

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