West Bengal: 10 hurt in campus clash over ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-06/kolkata/41832343_1_campus-clash-ten-students-college-authorities

 DURGAPUR: First-year and final-year students of Bengal College of Engineering and Technology in Durgapur clashed at the college hostel late on Wednesday after the first-year students accused their seniors of ragging. Ten students have been arrested for rioting on campus, based on complaints at New Town police by the college authorities.

No arrests have been made in connection with ragging. Ten students have also been injured in the violence, six of whom have been hospitalized, said police. According to police, the clash was reported at 8.15pm on Wednesday. "There was load shedding in the hostel in Durgapur's Bidhan Nagar area around 8pm. All students stay in this hostel.

Minutes later, the first-year students alleged that they were being ill-treated and ragged by the seniors for the past several days. This triggered a clash between the two groups and several students were injured," said a police officer. The situation was brought under control after ACP Sylvamurugan reached the spot with a large police force.

A police picket has been posted on the campus to prevent further clash. The six students who are undergoing treatment at a private hospital have been identified as Udit Narayan Jena, Sumit Ghatak, Sourav Chakraborty, Anand Mohan, Pawan Kumar Das and Kumar Abhinav.

All of them are students of the first semester of computer science. Following the clash, college authorities lodged two separate FIRs. While the first case pertains to rioting on campus in which arrests have been made, the other complaint — which deals with ragging — has been lodged against unknown people.

Of the 10 students held, eight are from first year and the remaining from the final year. Asansol police commissioner Vineet Goel confirmed the arrests. "We are probing the case further as there are serious allegations of ragging,'' said Goel. Institute director S B Ganguly said the case was being probed internally.

"Our anti-ragging committee is also looking into the case. The police have been provided all help. We will take action against erring students once we receive both reports and the allegations are proven. Ragging will not be tolerated in our institute,'' he said.

Student singed in ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-08/kolkata/41873419_1_engineering-student-deganga-college-authorities

 BARASAT: The ragging horror returned to haunt the state with an engineering student allegedly singeing the face of a junior at Deganga in North 24-Parganas on Saturday.

 The 20-year-old mechanical student of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Polytechnic College was allegedly attacked because he refused to do drugs, which the senior student had repeatedly tried to force him into. Rajib Kumar, a second-year student, suffered burns when Govinda Jadav, a third-year student of mechanical engineering, allegedly pressed a chillum against his left cheek.

 After being treated in hospital, Rajib complained to Debabrata Pradhan, the teacher in charge of the college, and lodged an FIR with Deganga police on Saturday afternoon. Jadav has gone into hiding. According to college sources, Rajib, a resident of Ranaghat in Nadia, has been staying with two classmates in a mess adjacent to the college for about one and a half years.

 Jadav, a resident of Jharkhand, started living with them in the same room around two months back. Jadav allegedly drank and did drugs in the room and also forced the others to join him. "Jadav beat me up several times as I strongly protested against taking drugs in the room.

He abused me verbally and threatened me. The situation worsened on Friday when my two roommates were asleep," Rajib said. According to Rajib's complaint, after taking ganja, Jadav tried to force him to take it. "It was around 11.30 pm. He first held the burning chillum in front of me and asked me to smoke it. When I refused, he threatened me with dire consequences and tried to force me.
 When I put up a fight, he pressed the chillum against my left cheek. I screamed out in pain, which woke our roommates. Jadav fled," Rajib said in his complaint. Pradhan said the college authorities have taken up the matter seriously. "We will take stern action against the accused after holding a meeting on Monday.

 A committee has already been formed by the college to inquire into the matter," Pradhan said. Barasat ASP Bhaskar Mukherjee said they have received a complaint and started a probe. "We are looking for the accused," he said.

Student singed in ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-08/kolkata/41873419_1_engineering-student-deganga-college-authorities

 BARASAT: The ragging horror returned to haunt the state with an engineering student allegedly singeing the face of a junior at Deganga in North 24-Parganas on Saturday.

 The 20-year-old mechanical student of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Polytechnic College was allegedly attacked because he refused to do drugs, which the senior student had repeatedly tried to force him into. Rajib Kumar, a second-year student, suffered burns when Govinda Jadav, a third-year student of mechanical engineering, allegedly pressed a chillum against his left cheek.

 After being treated in hospital, Rajib complained to Debabrata Pradhan, the teacher in charge of the college, and lodged an FIR with Deganga police on Saturday afternoon. Jadav has gone into hiding. According to college sources, Rajib, a resident of Ranaghat in Nadia, has been staying with two classmates in a mess adjacent to the college for about one and a half years.

 Jadav, a resident of Jharkhand, started living with them in the same room around two months back. Jadav allegedly drank and did drugs in the room and also forced the others to join him. "Jadav beat me up several times as I strongly protested against taking drugs in the room.

He abused me verbally and threatened me. The situation worsened on Friday when my two roommates were asleep," Rajib said. According to Rajib's complaint, after taking ganja, Jadav tried to force him to take it. "It was around 11.30 pm. He first held the burning chillum in front of me and asked me to smoke it. When I refused, he threatened me with dire consequences and tried to force me.
 When I put up a fight, he pressed the chillum against my left cheek. I screamed out in pain, which woke our roommates. Jadav fled," Rajib said in his complaint. Pradhan said the college authorities have taken up the matter seriously. "We will take stern action against the accused after holding a meeting on Monday.

 A committee has already been formed by the college to inquire into the matter," Pradhan said. Barasat ASP Bhaskar Mukherjee said they have received a complaint and started a probe. "We are looking for the accused," he said.

Ragging horror on tech campuses

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-26/kolkata/41454622_1_besu-complaint-security-guards

 KOLKATA: Ragging has started showing its ugly face in tech campuses here, within days of the new academic session. Two complaints were registered on Thursday and Friday, one at the Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu) and the other at one of the state's leading private tech colleges.

 On Thursday, a first-year student of the metallurgy department at Besu complained that he was dragged inside a hostel occupied by senior boys, severely beaten up and abused. The boy is from Bihar and stays in a room in hostel No. 9, a hostel that's exclusively meant for first-year boys, to protect them from being ragged by seniors. According to his complaint, the incident happened around 5.30pm as the boy was returning to his hostel after getting some reference material photocopied.

As he was walking past hostel No. 7, he was allegedly stopped by five senior boys who then gagged and dragged him inside. As the boy came out of the hostel in a completely dishevelled state, the security guards discovered him and asked him what had happened. After he told them that he was ragged and beaten up by seniors, the security guards took the boy to the anti-ragging cell comprising faculty members and administrative staff of Besu, and a complaint was registered based on the victim's statement.

 The victim was then taken back into the hostel, where he identified the culprits. The members of the anti-ragging cell informed vice-chancellor A K Ray, who was out of station. But Ray ordered an investigation to be launched immediately a report be given to him on Monday. "I have just returned and am appalled at the complaint.

 I have sought the report on Monday and will decide on the punishment immediately. Besu is a zero-tolerance campus when it comes to ragging and I promise strict action," said Ray on Sunday. The victim, said varsity sources, has been assured of safety and is on campus. The authorities, however, are not sure whether the perpetrators of the crime are still on campus, since they are from the city and are likely to have gone back home over the weekend. On Friday, a similar complaint reached Save, an anti-ragging NGO, from a first-year student of BBA at a private tech college.

The student was part of a group of 18. This group, according to the complaint, was accosted by their seniors on the college grounds, abused in filthy language, ordered them to take off their belts and were given certain "codes" to be followed on campus. The first-years were allegedly asked to introduce themselves and every time a student did that, he/she was greeted with jeers and foul language.

The complainant has sought the intervention of the NGO. "We have lodged an anonymous complaint because the victims are scared. We have informed the college authorities and have also sent a copy of the complaint to the national anti-ragging helpline," said Kushal Banerjee, spokesperson for Save.

Student attacked by classmate in NIT Durgapur

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-22/kolkata/41436228_1_classmate-knife-student

 BURDWAN (WB): A second-year student of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur was allegedly attacked by his classmate with a knife when he prevented him from ragging first year students, police sources said on Thursday.

 Kaushal Kishore Meena, second-year electrical engineering student attacked Tapas Sharma, a second year Biotechnology student with a knife last night when he prevented Meena from ragging first year students, the sources said.

 Sharma has been admitted to hospital with injuries while Meena has been arrested by police, they said. Registrar of NIT Durgapur P S Sandhu said that police are investigating the matter.

2 students quit Kolkata institute after ‘ragging’

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/2-students-quit-kolkata-institute-after-ragging/1156358/

 Two students have withdrawn their admission from the Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI) in Kolkata after being allegedly ragged. Amir Suhail and Vaanchit Kundlia, who joined the institute on August 7 this year, have also filed an FIR at the Taratala Police Station in this regard.

 When Amir informed his father, Suhail Ahmed, about the alleged physical punishment and threats from his seniors, Ahmed contacted the Anti-Ragging Cell in New Delhi, which forwarded the complaint to college Director M K Ghosh on August 10.

 Amir has also alleged the institute director told him that the seniors had the "right" to slap their juniors and that it is for their own benefit. The parents of the two are now demanding that the initial admission fee paid to the college, which amounts to Rs 1,17,500 each, be refunded. The institute director Ghosh denied the allegations, saying the reports have been exaggerated.

Bengal Engineering and Science University suspends six students for ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-23/kolkata/37960139_1_senior-students-besu-third-year-students 

KOLKATA: The Bengal Engineering and Science University on Friday suspended six third-year students after a group of juniors accused them of ragging. They have been asked to leave the campus and the hostel immediately.

 Governor M K Narayanan - the chancellor - had visited the prestigious campus only on Thursday. A complaint sent anonymously by some first-year students to the Besu professor in charge of student affairs said they were being asked to pay donations for an event organized by third-year seniors. By noon the complain reached Besu vice-chancellor A K Ray, who has set an example in the state by virtually eliminating ragging from the campus with his innovative ways of handling students.

An inquiry started immediately and the faculty members found the complaints to be true. "We have taken serious cognizance of the incident and have treated the matter as ragging. We suspended all the six senior students who were found to be guilty and have asked them to vacate their hostels till further orders. Another inquiry will be conducted," Ray told TOI.

 Some students and faculty members felt that this was not a clear case of ragging as the money was being collected for fun, in which the juniors would have been involved too. But the key factor was that the freshers were allegedly being forced to pay up.

 "We are not going to let our guard down when it comes to any kind of coercion. These senior students wanted to have fun purely at the expense of juniors and that cannot be tolerated," Ray said with finality. The governor had inaugurated a swimming pool and a six-storey building on Thursday.

Eight students of Satyajit Ray institute suspended for ragging

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/eight-students-of-satyajit-ray-institute-suspended-for-ragging/article4154360.ece

 Eight students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) here were temporarily expelled from the hostel and academic activities on Saturday following ragging complaints.

 “We received complaints through e-mails earlier this week that first-year students were being ragged by students of second and third year,” said Dipankar Mukherjee, Registrar of SRFTI. “The e-mails were sent to some teachers and to some of the institute members, after which we suspended the eight students whose names were mentioned in those e-mails,” he said

 No need for FIR The authorities have not yet filed any FIR against the eight students. “The situation is under control, there is no need to file FIR against the students,” Mr. Mukherjee said. “Ragging is illegal; so we are forming an inquiry committee in order to investigate the matter in a more comprehensive manner and as soon as we receive the report, we will act accordingly,” he said.

Expulsion notice The eight students were served expulsion notice from hostel and academics till the committee submitted a report. “We are yet to be informed by the hostel-caretaker if the students have vacated their rooms or not,” he said. “The students didn’t harm anyone physically, but only after receiving report from the inquiry panel, can we make any further comments on the matter,” he added.

 Director Sanjay Patnaik, who was attending the International Film Festival of India in Goa, has rushed back in the wake of the incident. Keywords: Satyajit Ray Institute, ragging case, students suspension, Dipankar Mukherjee, International Film Festival of India

Seven SRFTI students suspended for ragging

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/295606/seven-srfti-students-suspended-ragging.html

Kolkata, Dec 1, 2012 (PTI)

Seven students have been suspended from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) here on the charge of ragging. "The SRFTI director informed me today that seven students have been suspended on account of ragging," Dipankar Dey, actor and chairman of the governing council of the institute said. He said that he supported the action taken by the institute as ragging is illegal.

Registrar of SRFTI, Dipankar Mukherjee said that he had received complaints of ragging from two girl students against seven seniors and action has been taken against them.

Jadavpur University student quits after severe ragging

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/jadavpur-university-student-quits-after-severe-ragging/20121011.htm

An engineering student of the Jadavpur University has filed a police complaint, alleging he had to leave the university because of severe ragging at the hands of senior students in the hostel where he was staying.

Siddhanta Mundra, a second year student of mechanical engineering, said in the FIR lodged with the Kandi police station in Murshidabad district, where he resides, that he could hardly attend classes because of torture inflicted on him. Kandi IC Sunoyon Basu on Thursday confirmed having received the complaint on October 1.

Mundra stated in the FIR that as he was even forced to take drugs, he shifted to a private mess from the hostel. But his ordeal did not stop there, he complained, as he was threatened with dire consequences. The student's father Ramesh Chandra Mundra said that his son had even received a threat letter at the mess and that he was at the beck and call of senior students.

Dean of Jadavpur university Rajat Roy said Mundra did not inform the authorities before leaving. However, Roy said, "But we want him back in the university. He is a meritorious student. The university authorities will do everything to support him. All he has to do is come to us."

Roy also advised the student's father to lodge a complaint with the university and register a general diary at the Jadavpur police station. The father, however, alleged that he had gone to the Jadavpur police station, but his complaint was not registered. Even the university authorities refused to accept any written complaint, he added.

Engineering student attempts suicide, alleges ragging by seniors

 “They were treating me as a ward boy. Besides, they used to order me to complete their paper work”

 DURGAPUR, 4 OCT: A first-year engineering student allegedly attempted suicide because of ragging by four seniors. After receiving complaints from the college authorities, police have begun investigating. None of the accused has been arrested yet.

Mr Pintu Majumdar, student at a private college in Raniganj, had lodged a complaint through the National Anti-Ragging Cell’s toll-free number in New Delhi last Saturday. The Cell sought an explanation from the college authorities on Wednesday.

The college immediately lodged a complaint with police. Mr Majumdar, a resident of Ghola in North 24-Parganas alleged that four third-year students ~ Mr Pronoy Das, Mr Bappa Ghanti, Mr Sourabh Karmakar and Mr Snehasis Ghosh ~ had been mentally and physically torturing him for the past few days.

He said: “This had become unbearable, so I attempted suicide to be free of it all."Mr Majumdar said: “They were treating me as a ward boy. Besides, they used to order me to complete their paper work.” The

University Grant Commission meanwhile, has made it clear in its latest explanation on ragging last July: “Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students will constitute ragging.”

The Asansol-Durgapur Police, meanwhile, hasn’t booked anyone for ragging, said Mr Suresh Kumar Chadivi, ADCP (Central).

Alleged ragging in NUJS bans third-year student from representing college

http://www.gyancentral.com/articles/graduate/law/alleged-ragging-in-nujs-bans-third-year-student-from-representing-college

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata recently banned a third-year student from representing the school in any sort of extracurricular and external activities this academic year, after allegations of ragging shook the school again.

 A first-year law student and his parents had complained against this particular senior back in July, saying that he has made the junior bring him food and make unnecessary speeches.

 The NUJS authorities, including NUJS Vice Chancellor Ishwara Bhatt and three faculty members had started an inquiry after receiving the complaints.

In August, the senior apologized in writing, which made the junior withdraw his complaint. The inquiry committee however continued with the investigation and finally decided to take this step against the senior. GyanCentral had reported against alleged ragging at law schools before this, but nobody came out in the open to confirm it.

 When GyanCentral spoke to registrar of NUJS, Dr.Surajit C Mukhopadhyay, he confirmed the news..

Allegations of ragging in NUJS and few other law schools were made me sometime in July this year. While some juniors anonymously agreed about it, some completely refuted the claims.

 NUJS appointed a student counsellor Barnali Ghosh earlier this month

Knife attack after ragging

http://in.news.yahoo.com/knife-attack-ragging-000000051.html

 Tamluk, Sept. 3: An engineering student in East Midnapore was slashed with a knife allegedly by seniors outside his college after he threatened to complain against them for ragging him.

Shubhro Samanta, a first-year student of electronics and instrumentation at the College of Engineering and Management in Kolaghat, said a group of senior students stopped him on the second day in college on August 29.

"Around eight to 10 seniors surrounded me and took me to a room near the library. There, they forced me to smoke cigarettes and told me that if I had to study in the college, I would have to take drugs. Then they abused me and also told me that if I wanted to attend the classes peacefully, I would have to learn abusive words," Shubhro said. Shubhro, 17, the son of a farmer and resident of Daspur in West Midnapore, stays with his aunt in Kolaghat.

"When I refused to utter the abuses, they slapped me repeatedly. I told them that if they continued to treat me in this way, I will report the matter to the college director. The seniors became angry and dragged me out of the campus. I was also told never to return to the college," Shubhro said. Senior high court lawyer Tapas Bhanja said that according to the West Bengal Prohibition of Ragging in Educational Institutions Act, 2000, a student found guilty of ragging could be jailed for a maximum of two years or fined Rs 5,000 or both.

Shubhro went for classes the next day and was stopped allegedly by the same group outside the main gate. "Just outside the campus, half a dozen youths, their faces covered with handkerchiefs, surrounded me. One of them attacked me with a knife. My left leg got slashed. Then he tried to slit my throat. I tried to stop him and my arms got slashed. The group said 'if you complain against us, we will murder you'. They told me never to return to the college. I believe the attackers were the seniors who had ragged me," he said. Shubhro today went to the Kolaghat police station and lodged an FIR. He also complained to the college director.

Class VIII student brutally ragged

http://www.indiablooms.com/VideoDetails/2012/videoDetails200812p.php

Salboni, Aug 20 (ANI): In yet another shocking case of ragging, a class VIII student, Dipankar Mal was beaten up by five fellow students and was later locked up in his hostel room for two days in West Midnapore in West Bengal. Dipankar, a student at the Salboni High School in Salboni town alleged that he was ragged by his fellow students and was tortured with blades and sticks on the night of August 17. The boy's parents have admitted him in hospital and at present he is undergoing treatment. Speaking to media persons, the boy narrated the horrific incident and said that the five students had threatened to kill him and his father if he dared to tell this incident to someone.

Marine engineering cadet lands in hospital after ragging

KOLKATA: A 19-year-old marine engineering cadet is lying seriously injured in hospital with severe jaw, hip and head injuries after being brutally beaten up by two seniors on Wednesday.

The youth, who had cracked IIT-JEE to get a berth at Indian Maritime University in Taratala, was assaulted because he could not endure a three-hour-long 'physical exercise' session that is merely a garb for ragging by seniors.

The boy cannot move or speak. The doctors treating him are horrified by the severity of the beating.

TOI is withholding the identity of the victim and the two alleged raggers on his request. The teenager is determined to return to training once he gets well. "I worked hard to get here. So there is no reason to back out. With the support of teachers, friends, seniors and my family I am sure I will sail again. I just hope there is some limit to the ragging meted out to freshers," he told TOI, struggling to whisper each word.

The Delhi boy joined the prestigious institute around eight months ago. Since then he and all first-year students have been subjected to regular ragging sessions. According to them, only two seniors are involved in the sadistic torture.

On Wednesday morning, many freshers were pulled out of their beds at 4am by the duo and given physical exercises - push-ups, crawls and frog-jumps - for three hours. Towards the end, the Delhi boy collapsed on the ground, exhausted, and pleaded with the two third-year students to let him go just one time. But the two rained blows and slaps on him. He was hit some 40 times in the face. "I got an SMS from my son about the incident around 7.30am. His mother fainted on hearing this. I booked a ticket on the first available flight to Kolkata," said father P K Mishra, a central government employee.

He reached the hospital around 2pm and was shocked to see the bruises and injuries on his son's body. "Can you imagine? Forty continuous slaps in the face and several punches to his head and the back? He is unable to move. I immediately complained to the hostel warden verbally as being with him in hospital was more important," he said.

Doctors at Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI) said the boy will need long-term treatment. "There are injuries to the jaw, hip joint and head because of punches and blows. He is unable to move properly because of the hip injury and unable to eat and speak because of the jaw injury" said Dr T K Banerjee, who is treating him.

"Investigation is on to gauge the severity of the injuries. The boy might not need surgery. I am shocked to see such physical torture on a young boy. Those involved in the ragging should be given exemplary punishment," said CMRI consultant surgeon Dr P K Nemani.

Some students said that it is an unwritten rule in the institute for third-year students to rag freshers almost throughout the year. No one is supposed to report it to the authorities. But this time, the two seniors went a little too far. Most fourth-year students are out sailing. "The hostel warden and some fourth-year students who are back on the campus have recommended that these two students be punished," said a fourth-year student on condition of anonymity.

The Delhi boy had told his father about the continuous ragging but asked him not to complain to the authorities because he was not the only victim. All his batch-mates were being ragged. "The authorities have promised to take action against the guilty. In that case I will not file a complaint as I do not want a bad name for a prestigious institute like this," said Mishra.

Technology student 'thrashed' by seniors

DURGAPUR: A second-year engineering student of Durgapur Institute of Advanced Technology and Management sustained ear injury after being allegedly ragged by senior students.

The victim has been admitted to Durgapur Bidhannagar subdivisional hospital and is undergoing treatment. A complaint was lodged by the victim's father at Kanksa police station on Friday afternoon.

Dibyendu Mallik, a second-year student of electronics and telecommunications, was reportedly ragged on Thursday. In his written complaint, the victim's father, Ananda Mallik, has alleged that Prosenjit Kumar and Ashish Kumar, both fourth-year students of computer science and engineering, beat up his son.

PK Prasad, principal of the college, said that he has directed the anti-ragging committee to conduct a probe and submit a report. Kanksa Police have initiated an investigation and action will be taken against the guilty," Prasad added.

In another incident of ragging, a first-year student, of Malandighi Engineering and Industrial Technology Institute at Kanksa, was allegedly beaten up by three senior students. Based on the complaint of the victim, three second-year students - Ananda Shankar, Manish Sharma and Prabhakar Raj were immediately suspended.

While Ananda was suspended for six months, Manish and Prabhakar were suspended for ten days each.

Tech college seats halved

A ragging complaint and the college’s alleged inaction on it has cost the private engineering college near Calcutta half its seats for the 2012-13 academic session.

In an unprecedented move against an educational institution in Bengal, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has barred Camellia Institute of Technology and Management in Bainchi, 60km from Calcutta, from admitting more than 180 students. The institute at present has 360 seats.

The order will be implemented once the West Bengal University of Technology, to which the college is affiliated, initiates proceedings to finalise the number of seats, said Sabyasachi Sengupta, the vice-chancellor of the varsity and the chairman of AICTE’s eastern regional council.

AICTE adviser M.K. Hada wrote to the college in February, stating the council was “convinced that the college was not implementing any anti-ragging measures on the campus”.

The college has moved Calcutta High Court against the order, said Nilratan Dutta, the chairman of the Camellia group, which runs the college in Hooghly and five more private engineering colleges in the state. According to college sources, the case would be heard this week. “The college has also appealed to the AICTE for withdrawing the order,” Dutta said.

The ragging complaint dates back to August 2010, when Sibtain Habib of Garden Reach and three other first-year students were allegedly “assaulted” by second-year students. Habib had lodged a complaint on an anti-ragging helpline operated by the UGC.

He was transferred to the institute’s Barasat campus but he quit studies soon after.

The UGC had asked the AICTE to look into the complaint. The AICTE held three hearings last year, the last of them on December 28, and summoned representatives of the college.

The AICTE pointed out 12 “deficiencies” on the part of the college. According to the report, the institute had neither conducted an inquiry nor filed an FIR. The Supreme Court makes it mandatory for an FIR to be lodged after a ragging complaint.

“We had lodged a complaint with Bainchi police station. It is the discretion of police to decide whether the complaint shall be treated as an FIR or a general diary. We tried to explain this to the AICTE but failed,” Dutta said.

Describing the incident as “a scuffle between two batches of students”, Dutta said: “The student complained neither to police nor to the college authorities.”

An official of the higher education department, which has received a copy of the AICTE order, said the council was not happy with the shoddy internal inquiry.

Ragging shock in engineering college

DURGAPUR: It seems the "impersonation" modus operandi in Park Street rape case has set a bad precedence in the state. On Friday night, some senior students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) took up fake identities and ragged first-year students at the college hostel.

However, acting on an FIR lodged by the victims, police on Saturday arrested three final-year students on charges of ragging and causing physical injuries. The college authority helped the cops to zero in on the accused. The victims were admitted to Durgapur sub-divisional hospital with serious injuries after they lodged the complaint. Later in the day, they appeared for their examinations at NIT campus.

Talking to TOI, Durgapur police station officer in charge Arijit Dasgupta said Prashanta Kumar Chhetri, who hails from Jabalpur, and Hyderabad's Rajib Muppidi - both final year B Tech students - have been arrested from the college campus on Saturday morning. "Three first-year students were beaten up by at least four final-year students last night at the hostel. The accused also snatched the victims' identity cards, wallets and cell phones. The accused also impersonated fake identities while ragging their juniors," he said.

Police are interrogating the two accused to get information of the rest who were present during the incident.

The NIT management also filed a complaint to the police against those arrested. According to sources, the anti-ragging committee of the college has been directed to probe the incident and submit a report to the director. NIT director Tarakeswar Kumar was not available for comments.

"Last night, some seniors of our college ragged and beat us. We could not identify them. Only on Saturday we came to know that they impersonated fake identities," said Pramit Dawn, one of the victims and a first-year student of electrical engineering. The other two ragged on Saturday were Rakesh Karmakar, Dawn's batchmate and Kazi Soiful Islam, a student of mechanical engineering.

The two students will be produced before the court on Sunday. They have been booked under Sections 341, 323, 325, 427, 379, 419 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Union ministry of human resources development updraded the erstwhile Regional Engineering College (R E College) of Durgapur to deemed central university a few years ago. Friday's incident is the first case of ragging reported at the campus.

Durgapur Police has arrested today two fourth and final year B.Tech students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) allegedly on charges for ragging and beating three first year students last night. The three first year students, all hailing from Durgapur has lodged FIR at Durgapur Police Station this morning. They have been admitted to Durgapur sub divisional hospital with serious injury. However, they went to give examination today later in the day at NIT campus.

Talking to the TOI, Arijit Dasgupta, officer in charge of Durgapur Police Station said that Prashanta Kumar Chetri, of Jabbalpur and Rajib Muppidi of Hyderabad, both final year Bio Technology students have been arrested from the college campus here this morning. " Three first year hostel students have been beaten by at least four final year students last night at the hostel. They have also snatched their identity card, purse and cell phones. But while beating them with sticks and bottles the final year students used false names thus misleading the victims. But after detail probe we have been able to arrest the culprits,"Dasgupta added.

He said that the two students will be forwarded to court tomorrow and has been booked Under Sections 341,323,325,427,379,419 and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The three first year students are - Promit Dawn, Rakesh karmakar, both B.Tech students of Electrical Engineering and Kazi Soiful Islam, B.Tech student of Mechanical Engineering. While Promit stays at Aravinda Avenue in Steel Township and his father is Dr.Samit Dawn, adoctor of DSP Hospital, Rakesh karmakar stays at Benachity. While Soiful Islam stays at Akbar Road in Durgapur. Soiful's father, Kazi Sofikul Islam, who works at DTPS of DVC said that he is shocked about the incident.

The authority of NIT has also given a written compalin to police later in the day. Soyrces said that the anti ragging committee of NIT has been directed to probe the incident and submit report to the director. The Director of NIT, Tarakeswar Kumar was not available for his comments.

The erstwhile Regional Engineering College ( R.E.College) of Durgapur has been upgraded to deemed central university - National Institute of Technology (NIT) few years ago by ministry of human resources development of central government. But first the incident of ragging in such posh central government engineering and technology varsity by few senior students upon first year students and also hiding their names and using false names to mislead nd police and authority has createda stir in durgapur, the new educational hub of the state. This ragging incident has also remined the Park Street rape incident also, where the accused persons used false names to mislead the police and victim.

Bengal student alleges ragging

KOLKATA: A third-year student of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu) was allegedly assaulted by seven seniors on February 22. The student complained to the university authorities, who called the guardians of those seven fourth-year students. They were let off after a warning.

The university swung into action only after the victim lodged a complaint with an anti-ragging helpline in Delhi. A fine of `5000 each was imposed on the students and the victim lodged an FIR with the Shibpur police station on February 28. "Besu has formed a committee to probe the incident. The committee will submit its findings to the vice-chancellor on March 7," said registrar Biman Banerjee.

Harassed Presidency University first-year student slashes wrist in hostel

KOLKATA: Political scuffle raised its ugly head on Thursday night at Hindu Hostel, with a harassed first-year student of Presidency University attempting suicide.

Political science student Ajay Dewan of Tripura survived after slashing his wrist in the face of continuous harassment by his seniors. Ajay alleged his tormentors owed allegiance to Students Federation of India (SFI), CPM's student wing.

Trouble was brewing in ward No. 2 of Hindu Hostel, once tagged the home for apolitical students. "When we applied for accommodation, seniors assured us that students lived together in harmony in ward No. 2 and political allegiance wouldn't matter. But on moving in, the scenario turned hostile. We were constantly harassed. SFI students who reside in our wards made fun of Ajay," said his roommate Sumalya Mukhopadhyay, a second-year English honours student.

"Our seniors organized a ward tour to Shankarpur a few weeks back. Since we sympathized with Independents Consolidation, we were tortured and harassed and refused to go. A ward meeting was convened on Thursday. Usually, the agenda is put up on the notice board. But no agenda was mentioned for this meeting. We feared the meeting was called to harass Dewan and two of us who are his friends. Our fears proved right," he said.

'SFI seniors wanted to throw us out'

On Thursday night, English honours student Sumalya Mukhopadhyay alleged, "The meeting began with the SFI hostel residents of the ward accusing us of violating the code of conduct and spreading intra-ward words. They also claimed that we were promoting our political agenda inside the ward, which was once free from politics. A vote of ward boarders on this issue was taken. Since SFI students dominate the ward, a resolution was adopted 40-8 against us."

Sumalya added, "Three SFI seniors then decided that Ajay, me and Nitabjyo Banerjee should be thrown out of the hostel. Though some seniors tried to protect us, the SFI trio was hell-bent on throwing us out. As this torture and abuse was on for weeks, Ajay went outside the room and banged his wrist against a glass door. He was bleeding profusely. We rushed him to Medical College where he received stitches. We have lodged an FIR against the three SFI hostel residents."

When TOI visited Hindu Hostel, Ajay was sleeping on the ground floor with his right wrist bandaged. "The seniors had always harassed us. We refused to go on the ward tour because we feared the seniors would intensify their ragging after consuming alcohol at Shankarpur. Hence we stayed away. The torture has been on for too long and has started to bother me. I found no way out of this menace and thus ended up hurting myself," Ajay said.