[Telegraph] Taut rein on ragging

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A STAFF REPORTER

Anti-ragging activists chose the venue of a counselling session on Sunday to campaign against the campus menace.

Around 20 members of No Ragging Foundation gathered at Sarat Sadan, Howrah, where a counselling session was under way for allotment of seats among students who have cracked the All India Engineering Entrance Examination.

Forum members — students of engineering and medical colleges and pass-outs — explained to the candidates and their parents the steps to tackle ragging.

The coordinator of the forum, Kushal Banerjee, a junior doctor at Sambhunath Pandit Hospital, said: “A student who has been subjected to physical or mental torture in the name of ragging can contact us on www.no2ragging.com. We will soon start counselling sessions for victims of ragging and arrange for their treatment.”

While parents were seen talking enthusiastically with forum members, some of the candidates expressed the fear that they might get marked by seniors.

The candidates wanted to know whether the forum members would be by their side if they are ragged badly and how to approach the forum during an emergency.

“It’s time the parents are united against torture in the name of ragging,” said Amit Ghosh, from Nagerbazar, the father of a candidate. Saikat Roy, an electronic engineer who accompanied his sister to the counselling, said: “Those who inflict torture on juniors should be treated on a par with criminals.”

Srijani Mitra, an activist of the forum that has over 300 members, said more than 1,000 parents collected leaflets detailing ways to fight ragging.