It's rivalry, not ragging: OMC principal

8 Apr 2009, 0332 hrs IST, TNN
HYDERABAD: Junior students
of the Osmania Medical College, who were allegedly subjected to ragging, said the seniors targeted them on April 2 as they refused to obeythem. And, the issue came out in the open because they felt humiliated after the incident.

The juniors also alleged that their seniors threatened to repeat the act if they complained to the college officials. The college authorities, however, dismissed the incident as driven by group rivalry between the first and second-year students. "The two batches used to have trouble adjusting with each other. This cannot be considered ragging as many times they have had open fights," OMC principal G Shailaja said.

During the investigation, police found that 12 students of MBBS II year hadseverely ragged their juniors. They registered a case under section 4 of the AP Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997, against them.

On Tuesday, police arrested Manish, Pranithraj Patel, V Srikanth Naik, Sandeep Reddy, B Ratna Kumar, Ranjeet Kumar, Manideep, B Varuntej and Pratush.

"A hunt is on to arrest Mithun Chakraborthy, J Avinash and Sunil," deputy commissioner of police (East Zone) N Shiva Shankar Reddy said.