ENGINEERING STUDENTS RETURN HOME BATTERED FROM MURSHIDABAD COLLEGE

Bardhaman Dot Com News Bureau Burdwan, 16 Aug 04 :

Ragging at colleges in the state again hit the headlines. This time, a student of a private engineering college had to come back home after being brutally tortured by senior students. The ragging at the Abdul Rahaman Memorial poly-technique College, Murshidabad have almost destroyed the dream of 48 aspirant engineering students. A few of the students managed to reach back home fleeing from the horrifying ragging conducted on them by their senior students. One of them is Sayed Souvick Ali alias Bapan. He took admission at food processing technology department of the college after ranking 1099 at the state joint entrance examination for the poly-technique colleges. The aspiring engineer is back home with dreams shattered & bruises all over his body reveling the inhuman torture faced by him.
The hooliganism in the name of `customizing the fresher' started on 8th August night itself, the day Souvick & other students arrived at the college. The college is yet to have its own hostel & the students were accommodated at 12 private houses. Souvick & some other students were accommodated at Abul Hossain's residence. Souvick & his family members informed that, he along with other fresher had to face `inhuman physical & mental torture' for the next 4 days. His mother, Asia Begum said, "those animals have tortured my son extensively. He has been beaten by sticks, brunt all over by cigarette tips & even forced to drink alcohol." They also
Ailing Souvick with his mother at Burdwan residence
complained that, the senior students have even wounded his vertebra seriously by `kicking at it'. The ailing Souvick informed, "groups of students from other mess also joins the party. They are led by a blue cap wearing student. Even two senior girls joined their group & showered slang on us which added insult & mental agony along with the physical pains."Souvick managed to escape from the mess on 12th night & reached home in battered condition. He also informed bardhaman.com that, Shyamsundar, another student at the computer science wing from Bhatchala, Burdwan also fled from the college with similar experiences. The family informed that the principal of the college, Lal Mohammad invited the parents to take back their son to the college & assured them that he personally will ensure that such incidence is not repeated, but the same has being declined by the parents. They informed the principal that, "we can't send their son to the same place where he had to face such a consequence." The family has written about the fact to the local MLA, Yunis Ali Mondal & Moinul Hassan, the ex-member of parliament from Murshidabad. The college authorities described the situation at the college to be `peaceful & normal' but they refused to comment on the incidence. Local sources informed that after students like Souvick & Shyamsundar were compelled to flee from the college, the college authorities & the governing body members held a meeting to decide that how can this action of senior students be stopped. A student of the college was even assaulted by the local people for ragging charges. Police officials had to visit the college campus, but the master-minds behind this inhuman act are yet to be caught & removed from the college which adds terror to the pain & anguish of the ragged students