[NewIndPress] Ragging: Classes yet to resume at CET

Link to report

Thursday February 14 2008 11:35 IST
Express News Service

T’PURAM: Classes at the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) were suspended for yet another day on Wednesday with the ragging issue refusing to subside inside the campus even two weeks after a fourth semester student made allegations of assault against his seniors.

On Wednesday, the SFI activists of the college burnt the college council in effigy demanding action against Arjun, the fourth semester Electronics student, alleging that it was he who ragged first year students. Arjun, who was admitted to the Medical College Hospital on January 31, had alleged that some college students owing allegiance to SFI had ragged and assaulted him for four days after locking him up in a hostel room from January 16. The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation had also come in support of Arjun.

However, the SFI activists of the college maintained that it was Arjun who ragged and collected money from first year students. Around 20 first years had complained after the incident that Arjun had levied money from them.

Meanwhile, college principal J.Latha said that the inquiry committee on the incident had the not taken any disciplinary action against either party. “We could not find any substantial evidence against either party. So we did not take any action against them,” she said. She added that the committee was sceptical about the first year students’ complaints as all the complaints were received after Arjun’s allegations.

The principal has now ordered an internal inquiry into the complaint of Karthik, a first year student, who had made ragging allegations against Arjun before the whole issue.

“But we are not being able to contact Arjun for taking his statement. Today, we sent a registered letter to his house,” the principal said.