Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Student files ragging complaint to settle scores

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-12/ahmedabad/33788297_1_formal-complaint-student-files-security-personnel

AHMEDABAD: A student of Parul Pharmacy College, Vadodara, filed a complaint of allegedly being beaten up by his seniors at the highest level on the anti-ragging helpline of the University Grants Commision (UGC). Later, when the UGC ordered an inquiry, the boy did a volte face and said that he had reported a false complaint to settle personal enmity.

The boy, a first year student of pharmacy, had earlier said in his complaint to the UGC that his seniors united under a gang called 'Parul gang', summoned him behind the administration building of the college and bashed him up. The student alleged that the gang members also broke his specs. He said he had complained to the principal of the college who did not file a formal complaint. Fearing that his harassment would continue, he filed a complaint with UGC's 24-hour anti-ragging helpline.

 Following the complaint, the UGC directed both the college as well as GTU to inquire into the matter and send a report within 24 hours. The registrar of GTU said that action would be taken once the report is submitted.

However, the student later withdrew the complaint and changed his story, claiming that he was being harassed by security personnel and not his seniors. In a letter submitted to the UGC, the student wrote, "The complaint registered on the ragging incident did not actually fall under the criteria of ragging, and indiscipline of security personnel is not ragging. So l wish to withdraw my complaint which was done in anger. I did not approach the anti-ragging committee on campus or the college though there is a prominent display of notice boards announcing the same. There were no student gangs in Parul, the security personnel are those responsible for this incident."

Rajesh K S, principal of the college, said the incident was merely a disciplinary issue between the student and the security staff which was due to the student's undisciplined behavior towards security personnel.

"The student had just submitted a complaint against the external security personnel that was totally unrelated to ragging", the principal said.

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