Student 'ragged' for not smoking

MOHALI: A student of Rayat and Bahra Engineering College, Mohali, has alleged that he was ragged and mercilessly beaten up by his seniors when he refused to smoke and dance in front of them. However, Mohali police as well as college authorities are maintaining that it was a case of group rivalry as the student was not thrashed by his seniors but nine freshers. Police have reportedly rounded up two persons.

On Tuesday, Gurinder Singh approached the police stating that he was singled out by nine students of his college, who forced him to smoke and dance for them. The victim, Sector 7 resident of Chandigarh, stated that he was thrashed when he refused to do the same. Gurinder was immediately taken to civil hospital, Kharar, where his condition was stated to be stable.

Police have registered a case against the nine students— Amrik, Mohni, Harman Singh, Sakhi and five other unidentified youths—under sections 341, 323, 324, 506, 148, 149, 295 of the IPC at Kharar police station. Dismissing the incident as a case of group rivalry, spokesperson of Rayat and Bahra Engineering College, Sanjeev Tejpal, stated that it was not a case of ragging. “The college has initiated an internal inquiry and would soon unravel the details. We witnessed such a group clash last year as well, when a massive fight had broken out between two rival groups. Since only one person has been singled out this time, it appeared to be a case of ragging,” he added. Stating that the college has also lodged a complaint, Tejpal said that it would soon be obvious that it was not a ragging incident.

Meanwhile, Kharar SHO Harsimranjit Singh Bal said two students— Harmanjot Singh and Amrik Singh— had already been arrested in the case, while efforts were on to nab others too. “Gurinder was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon. He is undergoing treatment at civil hospital, Kharar,” he added.

During initial probe, it was found that the youths accused of ragging had recently joined the college. “They have denied any involvement. We suspect another youth, Rana, to be behind the fight. Efforts are on to nab him,” the SHO stated.

“Those arrested are first-year students, who joined the college 10 days ago,” the SHO said, adding that it would
soon become clear whether it was a case of ragging or group rivalry.