Kanpur engineering student claims he was ragged, police register case

An engineering student of a private college has alleged that he was ragged by his seniors who threatened to beat him up, a charge denied by its management.

On a complaint by the father of Pranshu Singh, 20, a student of B-Tech Computer Science in PSIT Engineering College here, an FIR has been lodged against unidentified students on the charge of attempt to murder (Section 307 of IPC) and under other relevant sections of UP Prohibition of Ragging in Educational Institutions Act, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Lal Bahadur said.

The student, who hails from Aligarh, alleged he was accosted by his seniors who asked him awkward questions after he emerged from his hostel room yesterday.

He alleged that the seniors also threatened to beat him up when he could not answer their queries. A frightened Singh ran from the spot. He claimed that he heard gunshots and fell unconscious after falling into a puddle.

He later approached college officials who took him to a hospital but college authorities said he was receiving treatment for Malaria.

"When Pranshu Singh was brought here, he appeared extremely nervous and frightened. When we examined him, we found that he was suffering from Malaria. But there were no external signs of injury," DV Johri, medical superintendent of Kanpur Medical Centre, said.

College officials denied that it was a ragging incident. They alleged that Singh had "enacted a drama" as he wanted to leave the college to return to his hometown and get a fee refund.

"We have set up a committee to probe the incident. The truth will come out once it submits its report," a college official said.

The SP said, "We are investigating the case. We will quiz the student and college officials."