Ragging in Assam on rise, two students arrested

August 20th, 2009 - 3:06 pm ICT by IANS

Guwahati, Aug 20 (IANS) In yet another glaring case of ragging in Assam, two college students here have been arrested for harassing girls after authorities filed a formal complaint with the police.

Hridyananda Baruah, a student of B.Com final year at the K.C. Das Commerce College in Assam’s main city of Guwahati, and Anjan Bujarbaruah of the Guwahati Commerce College, were arrested late Wednesday following a formal complaint by college authorities.

“There was a complaint by the principal of the K.C. Das Commerce College saying one of their students Hridyananda Baruah was involved in an incident of ragging.

“Based on the complaint, we first arrested Baruah and based on his statement we arrested his friend Anjan Bujarbaruah who was with him during the incident,” said police official F. Barghuyan, who is investigating the case.

Hitesh Deka, principal of the K.C. Das Commerce College, said he was responding to a verbal complaint from girl students that Hridyananda Baruah had “been continuously harassing them”.

“So I lodged a police report. In the meantime, we have expelled him from the college on charges of ragging. We are against any form of ragging in the college and shall not tolerate such incidents,” Deka said.

Guwahati Commerce College authorities are also contemplating action.

Incidents of ragging have increased in recent weeks in educational institutions in Assam with the Dibrugarh University last week cracking the whip on ragging by expelling one postgraduate student and penalising eight more with varying degrees of punishment, including cash penalties.

The Dibrugarh University in a path breaking decision announced the expulsion of Madhav Kachari and debarred him from seeking admission to any other institution.

Another postgraduate student, Manash Pratim Gogoi, was expelled from the university for two straight terms.

The tough action was initiated following written complaints against the nine students to the vice chancellor by junior students alleging ‘mental torture’ bordering on obscenity.

Before that, on Aug 9, a first year student of Dimoria College in Sonapur on the outskirts of Assam’s main city of Guwahati, became the first casualty of ragging after he allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a speeding train Sunday.

Chintumoni Bordoloi had joined the college just three days ago.

There were similar reports of ragging from other colleges in Assam with a student in western Nalbari being admitted to hospital after being allegedly beaten up by seniors in the hostel.