RIMS probe into ragging complaint

Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) has set up a three-member committee to probe a ragging case forwarded to it by Ranchi police on Saturday.

RIMS director Tulsi Mahto confirmed this, saying the committee members are medical superintendent S.K. Choudhary and two senior doctors — Sheetal Malua and Dhirendra Birua. The team will have to submit a report within a week.

Mahto, however, refused to divulge more. “Let the matter be investigated first as the ragging took place about a month ago and the complaint reached police through the anti-ragging squad in New Delhi,” he said.

However, Bariatu OC Faguni Paswan, who forwarded the case to RIMS, said: “A first-year student, Sanjay Kumar, had lodged a complaint with the anti-ragging squad in Delhi, accusing a senior of slapping him and demanding Rs 2 lakh for giving him protection.” He did not disclose the name of the accused.

Asked why the student did not inform the RIMS authorities or Ranchi University, sources said he was frightened and had no faith in the institute management, which had tried to hush up the case.

A RIMS official supported the source’s stand. “This is the second time within a month that case of ragging has come to fore at RIMS. Earlier, in mid October a report of ragging with two girl students of institute had come to the fore and following the report, Ranchi University pro-vice chancellor, V.P. Sharan, had set up a two-member probe committee led by dean of student’s welfare C.S.P. Lugun. The team visited the RIMS campus and also submitted its report. But so far its finding has not come to the fore,” a RIMS official said.

Sharan confirmed that a committee was set up but he expressed his inability to say anything about its findings. “The matter is old. I remember that I had set up a committee to probe incident of ragging at RIMS but I do not remember the findings of the committee,” he pointed out.