Ragging turns gruesome

14 Oct 2008, 0400 hrs IST, TNN

LUCKNOW: In a shocking incident, a student of intermediate was nailed in the head - and practically so - allegedly by his seniors in Meerut

following a petty dispute on Monday. The victim suffered severe injuries and had to be hospitalised for an operation by a neuro-surgeon to remove the nail. His condition was stated to be critical.

The incident was reported from Jain Inter College in Sarna locality of Meerut where a local youth Vikas had taken admission in intermediate (first year). ‘‘From the day I started coming to the classes, a group of my seniors started making a mockery of my voice which happens to be shrill. Though I felt bad about it but simply overlooked the whole thing as I never wanted to enter into a confrontation with my seniors. But in the recent past, comments on my voice had increased to maddening proportions,'' Vikas told TOI over phone from Meerut shortly after the incident on Monday morning.

According to Vikas, he wanted to avoid a physical confrontation so he decided to counter the nuisance by giving a nickname to one of the seniors who were always after him. ‘‘He was a thin and lean chap so I nicknamed him Haddi (bones). But this agitated the seniors to a great extent. Today, they attacked me with sticks and rods and took me to the deserted corner of the campus. Five of them pinned me against a wall and two others then hammered a nail right in the middle of my head (skull). I begged them for mercy, but nothing worked,'' Vikas said.

Immediately after the incident, Vikas informed his neighbours about what had happened who rushed to the campus. Subsequently Vikas' neighbours and college administration then rushed the boy to the district hospital where an emergency surgery was conducted and the iron nail was removed.