Ragging terror in school, 16 hurt - Class XII boys beat up juniors, authorities accused of covering up incident

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130801/jsp/frontpage/story_17180769.jsp#.Ug_Ri5L7CK

 Kokrajhar, July 31: Altogether 16 students of Classes VII and VIII were severely beaten up by their seniors in Class XII in what is being described as a “ragging incident” at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Ransaidram, at Basugaon town in Chirang district. The incident took place in a common room on Monday evening but came to light the following day when a guardian went to see his son at the hostel.

 Three boys — Class VII student Danjit Kumar Brahma and Class VIII students Jitamitra Basumatary and Anjalu Basumatary — were admitted to a hospital in Kokrajhar. Jitamitra’s shoulder was fractured. According to Danjit, some senior students called them to the common room and started beating them with sticks and kicked them. They warned the junior students not to inform their teachers or guardians about the incident “or more punishment would follow”.

 The trigger for this incident is still unclear but sources said it could be the result of an altercation that took place in the canteen a few days ago when some senior students tried to snatch food from a few juniors. School authorities have apparently tried to cover up the incident. The guardian of one injured student, D.K. Brahma, said: “The school principal called me and said that my son was ill but he didn’t inform me about the incident even when I met him in his chamber.

When I met my son, I noticed the injury marks on his body and when I asked him how he got them he told me about the whole incident.” “Later I found out that 16 students were badly beaten up, but the institute is taking it casually. How can such a major incident happen and school authorities claim not know anything about it,” he asked.

 Some of the injured students said they had been physically assaulted many times earlier but this time was the worst. Family members of the victims have lodged an FIR at Basugaon police station. Principal of the institute S.K. Tiwary termed the incident “unfortunate” and said disciplinary action would be taken against the students involved.

 He said the incident had sparked resentment among the student community in the school complex. BTC executive member in-charge of the education department Derhasat Basumatary strongly condemned the incident and urged school authorities and the district administration to take stern action against the guilty students.

Four Kerala students attacked in Kovai

http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Four-Kerala-students-attacked-in-Kovai/2013/07/30/article1708684.ece

By Express News Service - COIMBATORE Published: 30th July 2013 08:06 AM Last Updated: 30th July 2013 08:06 AM

In yet another case of group clash between students of Kerala studying in a college here, four students were attacked by a 19 member-gang led by a student of the same college. Sources said that the attack was a sequel to a dispute over a ragging incident. Police said, Egna (18), a native of Calicut in Kerala, had recently joined the Master of International Business course in CMS College of Science and Commerce.

Nikil Bibi (24) who also hailed from Kerala, a senior in the same course, allegedly ragged Egna a few days ago. The girl informed the incident to his friend Subesh, who was studying in the same college. Subesh, along with his friend, allegedly beat up Nikil and warned him not to disturb the girl.

 To take revenge for the attack, Nikil along with a gang of 18, went to the house of Subesh and attacked him with deadly weapons. The gang also attacked three friends of Subesh. While Subesh and his friends attempted to escape from the spot, the gang chased and attacked them again. On information from locals, police rushed to the spot and arrested 19 persons, including Nikil. “Several weapons have been seized from the arrested persons,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Murugasamy.

NHRC seeks report over ragging in Assam

http://twocircles.net/2013aug06/nhrc_seeks_report_over_ragging_assam.html

 Guwahati : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Assam government asking for a report within four weeks on a ragging case where senior students allegedly thrashed 12 minor students in a school in the state's Chirang district.

 The incident occurred on the night of July 29 when some students of Class 12 thrashed 12 students of Class 7 and 8 with sticks after they evaded a ragging session. After beating them up, the seniors threatened them with dire consequences if they complained to the residential school's authorities. All the victims were new to the school.

 The NHRC took suo moto cognizance of news reports on the incident and observed that if true, the reports raise a serious issue of violation of human rights. Though the school authorities tried to hush up the incident, parents of the victims lodged complaints with police. The NHRC issued notice to secretary, elementary and school education, Assam and district magistrate and superintendent of police. The commission has also asked the district magistrate of Chirang to inform it about the health of the injured students.

Ragging raises stink at JB College Panel to probe harass charge

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130727/jsp/northeast/story_17162843.jsp#.Ug_JPpL7CK8

 Jorhat, July 26: The anti-ragging committee of JB College constituted a four-member panel today to look into allegations of ragging in the boys’ hostel last night.

 This came in the wake of a sting operation by TV channels showing footage of activities, resembling ragging, in a room in the hostel. A TV channel has deposited the entire footage to the college authorities so that the probe could be conducted at the earliest.

 Principal Bimal Barah said preliminary questioning of students could not establish that ragging had taken place. “None of the junior or senior students, who were separately questioned by me, admitted to ragging. According to our findings, the rehearsal for the freshers social, to be held in the hostel in a few days, was on. This was being done with permission from us.

The footage was taken of the common room where the practice was on,” he said. Barah said the seniors were instructing the students on how to dance and how to do march past properly “maybe in a rough manner but this cannot be construed as ragging in the true sense where a student is tortured or beaten”. On the march past, Barah said it was part of the practice.

 On one of the students being made to hold his ears and kneel down, Barah said he was a second year student who was forced to do so by seniors (graduate students) “as he was speaking in a foul tongue with juniors” while explaining the moves.

 The principal said no senior or junior student has complained to the authorities. “We are yet to go through the entire footage and no student will be spared if identified to be ragging a junior,” he added. Regarding the row of students sitting outside semi-clad on the verandah, he said he had identified all of them to be seniors who were cooling themselves outside because of the heat.

 “Maybe from a distance they looked like juniors as one or two were standing in front of them and lecturing but I saw that all those students were senior students.” The principal said hostel warden N. Bhuyan, a teacher of the zoology department, had done the rounds till 11pm.

 On why the students were allowed to stay up that late for social practice, he said since classes were held during the day and the students completed their studies in the evening, they had sought permission for the practice to be held after dinner.

 Saying that the college does enforce discipline, he said they had expelled a student last week for drinking as he was a second time offender, while three others who been caught for the first time were let off. “The other night, when the college freshers’ social was on and some elements had created an incident which was taking an ugly turn, I called in the police.” Additional deputy commissioner Dijen Singh and members of the college’s anti-ragging committee said if the panel found anyone guilty, action would be taken according the anti-ragging act.

 “We have got the footage and are on a fast track to go into the root of the matter. If anyone is found guilty, he will be expelled. But if this is not ragging as it appears, we cannot harass innocent students,” Singh said. The police said no complaint had been lodged by either the college authorities or any student so far.

 Jorhat superintendent of police Sanjukta Parasor said the police would also identify the students after going through the footage and conduct a separate inquiry. “If it is ragging, then the matter is very serious and will be dealt with accordingly,” she said.

 Those involved in the operation said they had zoomed their camera in on the common room located on the ground floor from the road but refused to say how they could be at the same place at the same time. The principal said vested interests could be involved in the matter but refused to divulge any more.

‘Secret ragging’ strikes at HCU hostels

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130716/news-current-affairs/article/%E2%80%98secret-ragging%E2%80%99-strikes-hcu-hostels

 Hyderabad: Despite stringent laws, ragging is still a part and parcel of a freshman’s life at the prestigious University of Hyderabad. The new academic year has started this month at the university and according to freshmen of the MCA department, their seniors have set in place many “rules and regulations” for them apart from regular “midnight abuses” in the hostel rooms.

 A student from the MCA department under condition of anonymity said, “Over the last three days, I have been mentally harassed and threatened by seniors. They call us to a room in F hostel at midnight and ask us to do things that we can’t do.

 They compel us to sing and dance and if we refuse, they abuse us in foul language and threaten us with dare consequences.” “If any of us have a stylish beard or moustache, they ask us to shave it,” said the student, who took admission a week back. Freshers are forced to buy food for seniors, said a source adding that the ragging will continue till the fresher’s party, which will take place in end August or beginning of September. 

Sources said that many MCA freshers in the hostels, especially the “F” hostel, are subjected to mental harassment every night. They are forced to address their seniors as ‘sir’ and are made to wear full-sleeve shirts throughout the day and even while sleeping.

They are also not allowed to befriend students from other departments. None of the freshers have approached the university or the police due to fear. “It’s a secret torture. None of us are able to approach the administration because we have to depend on our seniors throughout the course and even for our job placements.

If anyone acts against their orders, they will sideline us in class and lab works, which will affect our careers,” said an MCA student, adding that they have to do many group assignments with the help of senior students. Varsity denies charges Officials of the University of Hyderabad have denied allegations of ragging stating that no student had filed any complaints.

 “We have not come across any such complaint. But if this ‘secret ragging’ is going on among MCA students, we will strengthen our vigil.

We will take strong action against the culprits after finding them with the help of the anti-ragging squad, hostel wardens and security,” said UoH dean of student welfare B.V.S. Sharma.

 He added that anyone can approach him, even anonymously, and lodge a complaint. “And we will take strong action if anybody is found guilty.” Chandanagar police officials said that they would investigate if a complaint was filed on the issue.

Ragging in city stokes debate on institutes' role

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-09/ranchi/40468165_1_seniors-juniors-ranchi-women

 RANCHI: A recent case of ragging at Lala Lajpat Rai Public School has taken everyone by surprise. Four students were beaten up by their seniors on July 5. The victims had to be treated at a local hospital. Though the culprits have been expelled, it has once again raised questions on how serious institutes are about implementing anti-ragging measures.

 While most of the schools and colleges claim that ragging forbidden on campus, there are always a few cases every year, at times even violent. A similar case was observed last year at National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT) when a group of seniors broke into the hostel room of the newcomers, ragged them, broke the windows and belongings.

 Cases of inhuman ragging have definitely decreased over the past few years and now boiled down to interactive sessions between the seniors and the juniors. However, some students do enjoy troubling the newcomers. Psychiatrists say those who are suppressed in their family turn out to be bullies in schools and colleges.

 Director of Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS), Dr Amool Ranjan said, "Most of the students who rag their juniors are suppressed or ill treated at home. They take out their frustration by ragging and bullying their juniors."

 Principals of various colleges and schools claim that ragging is banned. "We have a very strict law when it comes to ragging. A single complaint is enough to get the student expelled from college. We also have an anti-ragging squad which keeps an eye on the students when the new session starts," said principal of Ranchi Women's College, Manju Sinha.

Students on the other hand think that healthy ragging is okay. Akansha Kapoor, a student of St. Xavier's College in Ranchi said, "The first day I confronted my seniors I was really scared but all they asked me to do was sing a song and crack some jokes. At first I was nervous but thereafter, I became good friends with my seniors. I think ragging is a way to get to know your seniors better."

Cops book high school boys for ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-02/hyderabad/40328645_1_three-boys-errant-students-school-head-mistress

 GUNTUR: Perhaps for the first time in the state, at least three high school students were booked under anti-ragging laws here on Monday. The police slapped cases under section 509 of IPC, section 4(1) of AP prohibition of ragging act against three SSC students of a municipal high school in the city.

 Police registered an FIR three days after receiving a formal complaint from the school HM against the students. Police acted in the case only after the municipal commissioner K Venkateswarlu debarred all the three students from studying in the municipal school for misbehaving with a female student of the same school.

 According to information, about four days ago, the girl, Kavati Sankara Rao of municipal high school at R Agraharam colony in the city took objection to the behavior of three boys in her class and warned them that she would complain to the school HM. Sources said that the boys reportedly entered into wordy duel with the girl while leaving the school the same day and threatened her of serious consequences if she lodged a complaint against them.

The next day, the boys reportedly took the water bottle of the girl from her bag and filled it with urine mixed with coke and kept it back in her bag during the recess. Unaware of the mischief, the girl reportedly consumed the contents and vomited in the school. Teachers in the school immediately sent her home and informed the head mistress K Sarala Devi. Upon information, the parents of the girl approached the police and lodged a complaint on Friday.

The police, however, did not book a case against the boys immediately saying that the issue was sensitive and involved the future of the children. The police reportedly even made an attempt to 'settle' the matter through a panchayat where they summoned the parents of the boys and held negotiations.

However, the issue took a new twist after the municipal commissioner Venkateswarlu acted tough against the errant students on Monday. The commissioner ordered the dismissal of all the three students - Sashank, Manikantha and Abhiram from the school and ensured they were given TCs within an hour of the issue coming to his notice. "We cannot spare such children in our schools," he told TOI.

 Following the commissioner taking the decision, the police called the school head mistress H M Sarala Devi and registered the case against the three boys. Defending the delay in registering a case, police said that they had only been probing the matter before booking the case. Lalapet CI Ramanjaneyulu said that they would arrest the accused shortly and send them to the juvenile board.