Ragging shock in engineering college

DURGAPUR: It seems the "impersonation" modus operandi in Park Street rape case has set a bad precedence in the state. On Friday night, some senior students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) took up fake identities and ragged first-year students at the college hostel.

However, acting on an FIR lodged by the victims, police on Saturday arrested three final-year students on charges of ragging and causing physical injuries. The college authority helped the cops to zero in on the accused. The victims were admitted to Durgapur sub-divisional hospital with serious injuries after they lodged the complaint. Later in the day, they appeared for their examinations at NIT campus.

Talking to TOI, Durgapur police station officer in charge Arijit Dasgupta said Prashanta Kumar Chhetri, who hails from Jabalpur, and Hyderabad's Rajib Muppidi - both final year B Tech students - have been arrested from the college campus on Saturday morning. "Three first-year students were beaten up by at least four final-year students last night at the hostel. The accused also snatched the victims' identity cards, wallets and cell phones. The accused also impersonated fake identities while ragging their juniors," he said.

Police are interrogating the two accused to get information of the rest who were present during the incident.

The NIT management also filed a complaint to the police against those arrested. According to sources, the anti-ragging committee of the college has been directed to probe the incident and submit a report to the director. NIT director Tarakeswar Kumar was not available for comments.

"Last night, some seniors of our college ragged and beat us. We could not identify them. Only on Saturday we came to know that they impersonated fake identities," said Pramit Dawn, one of the victims and a first-year student of electrical engineering. The other two ragged on Saturday were Rakesh Karmakar, Dawn's batchmate and Kazi Soiful Islam, a student of mechanical engineering.

The two students will be produced before the court on Sunday. They have been booked under Sections 341, 323, 325, 427, 379, 419 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Union ministry of human resources development updraded the erstwhile Regional Engineering College (R E College) of Durgapur to deemed central university a few years ago. Friday's incident is the first case of ragging reported at the campus.

Durgapur Police has arrested today two fourth and final year B.Tech students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) allegedly on charges for ragging and beating three first year students last night. The three first year students, all hailing from Durgapur has lodged FIR at Durgapur Police Station this morning. They have been admitted to Durgapur sub divisional hospital with serious injury. However, they went to give examination today later in the day at NIT campus.

Talking to the TOI, Arijit Dasgupta, officer in charge of Durgapur Police Station said that Prashanta Kumar Chetri, of Jabbalpur and Rajib Muppidi of Hyderabad, both final year Bio Technology students have been arrested from the college campus here this morning. " Three first year hostel students have been beaten by at least four final year students last night at the hostel. They have also snatched their identity card, purse and cell phones. But while beating them with sticks and bottles the final year students used false names thus misleading the victims. But after detail probe we have been able to arrest the culprits,"Dasgupta added.

He said that the two students will be forwarded to court tomorrow and has been booked Under Sections 341,323,325,427,379,419 and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The three first year students are - Promit Dawn, Rakesh karmakar, both B.Tech students of Electrical Engineering and Kazi Soiful Islam, B.Tech student of Mechanical Engineering. While Promit stays at Aravinda Avenue in Steel Township and his father is Dr.Samit Dawn, adoctor of DSP Hospital, Rakesh karmakar stays at Benachity. While Soiful Islam stays at Akbar Road in Durgapur. Soiful's father, Kazi Sofikul Islam, who works at DTPS of DVC said that he is shocked about the incident.

The authority of NIT has also given a written compalin to police later in the day. Soyrces said that the anti ragging committee of NIT has been directed to probe the incident and submit report to the director. The Director of NIT, Tarakeswar Kumar was not available for his comments.

The erstwhile Regional Engineering College ( R.E.College) of Durgapur has been upgraded to deemed central university - National Institute of Technology (NIT) few years ago by ministry of human resources development of central government. But first the incident of ragging in such posh central government engineering and technology varsity by few senior students upon first year students and also hiding their names and using false names to mislead nd police and authority has createda stir in durgapur, the new educational hub of the state. This ragging incident has also remined the Park Street rape incident also, where the accused persons used false names to mislead the police and victim.