Five collegians suspended for ragging

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-08/mumbai/33100000_1_maharashtra-prohibition-college-authorities-final-year-students MUMBAI:

Five final-year students of L S Raheja College of Art in Bandra have been suspended by the college authorities for ragging a group of juniors outside the campus last week. The five—all doing diploma in applied arts—faced action after an inquiry by the college found them guilty of ragging and harassing 11 juniors on a local train. The college has submitted a report to the Bandra Government Railway Police and the students will remain suspended till the police complete their probe. The incident took place on July 26 when 11 third-year students , five of them girls, boarded the 7.22pm Churchgatebound train from Bandra. The five seniors got into the same bogie and accosted them. We were roughed up and humiliated, says victim.

Cracking the whip on ragging, L S Raheja College of Art has suspended five final-year students for harassing a group of juniors on a local train on July 26. The five seniors who were in the same compartment as the victims first accosted them. "They demanded money from the girls, and when they refused, they roughed up the boys. They also humiliated the girls in front of the other commuters . This group had an altercation with a few boys from our batch in the college canteen some days ago. This time we decided to take the matter to the police and put an end to the torture," one of victims of the ragging said.

On July 27, the group of 11 complained to the college authorities and later, along with their batchmates, lodged a complaint with the Bandra GRP. On July 30, GRP officials got in touch with the college management and also spoke to the students involved in the incident. The police had asked the college management to conduct an inquiry and submit a report along with a complaint , if they found anyone guilty. "We immediately set up a committee and started an inquiry . All the students involved were questioned and we found five guilty of ragging and harassing juniors. We suspended the students and also submitted a report to the Bandra GRP on Monday," college principal Sridhar Badhekar said. "The principal of Raheja College submitted a report to us and also mentioned the names of the five students suspended . We will be seeking permission from a magistrate court to investigate the case. Under section 155 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a case which is non-cognizable in nature cannot be probed by the police without the orders of the magistrate," senior inspector V Dhopavkar of Bandra GRP said.

Around three years ago, the University Grants Commission had sent out circulars to all schools and colleges across the country about the 'no-tolerance' stand on ragging . Guidelines on what amounts to ragging and helpline numbers were also shared with colleges. The stringent measures initiated by the educational institutions had brought down ragging on campuses.

The state, too, has laid down guidelines against ragging . As per section 6 (1) of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999, "Whenever any student, parent or teacher of an educational institution complains of ragging to the head of the institution in writing , the head shall enquire into it within a week. If found true, the student accused of the offence should be suspended and the complaint should immediately be forwarded to the concerned police station." If the head of the educational institution fails or neglects to take action, he will be deemed to have abetted the offence of ragging and shall, on conviction , be punished under provisions of the Act, according to section 7.

Five Tripura University students expelled for ragging

http://tdnpost.com/lifestyle/education/five-tripura-university-students-expelled-for-ragging-68415.html

Agartala, Aug 5 (IANS) Five students of Tripura University here were expelled for assaulting several junior students in the hostel, officials said Sunday. “Five students of the university were expelled after they physically tortured many junior students during the past one week in the institution’s hostel.

The condition of one student was stated to be serious due to torture late Friday night and he was shifted to hospital,” an official of the central university told reporters. Several other students received injuries during the ragging. The decision to expel the students was taken after the anti-ragging committee submitted its report to university vice chancellor Arunoday Saha, who was not available in Tripura for comment. “This is the first time that Tripura University has expelled five students after it was set up in 1987,” an official said on condition of anonymity.

 The Daily News Post India (tdnpost)

7 students of Government Ayurvedic college held for thrashing batchmate

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-30/nagpur/32941265_1_batchmates-students-seniors

NAGPUR: City police have charged seven first year students of Government Ayurvedic College on Umrer Road with rioting and causing grievous hurt. One of their batchmates had lodged a complaint on Saturday evening that he and some of his friends had been subjected to ragging. Vishal Mali had approached police with visible injury marks on his body after being thrashed by batchmates over a trivial issue.

Acting on Mali's complaint, Sakkardara police arrested Sumeet Nake, Mahesh Kale, Kalpesh Katariya, Sharad Bajaj, Rupesh Sarpe, Bharat Ubhale and Prashant Nagre. All the accused and the victim are students of Bachelor of Ayurveda medicine and surgery (BAMS). Mali is the son of a reputed Ayurveda practitioner Dr Gajanan from Akola. The fight started over the use of warm water in washing clothes. Vishal was near the taps and was asked by Nake to go inside the bathroom to wash clothes. Vishal refused, leading to a heated argument between Vishal and Nake. Very soon Vishal was outnumbered by Nake and his friend, who pinned down Vishal and showering him with blows and punches. Kale fetched a stick and repeatedly hit Vishal.

After the incident, Vishal informed his father Dr Gajanan before heading to Sakkardara police station to report the matter. "I had already complained about harassment by seniors, which prompted them to devise a fresh strategy to corner me. The seniors urged my batchmates to mentally and physically torture me, which is no less than any ragging," said Vishal. Dr Gajanan said a complaint of ragging has been already given to the college in November last year. There was a compromise after that, but the situation did not change, and in fact worsened for his son Vishal, said Dr Gajanan, who vowed to take up the issue with the human rights commission.

Sources from Sakkardara police station said since the issue was between students of the same batch, the incident cannot be described as ragging. "Police cannot directly call it ragging, without the college and university authorities describing it as such after formal procedures and an internal inquiry," said an officer. Associate professor Dr EE Moses, also holding additional charge of hostel superintendent, said a committee was formed under Dean Dr Ganesh Mukkawar after Vishal complained of ragging, but the matter was amicably settled. "It seems the latest incident is another fight after sudden provocation," he said. Dr Moses, however, indicated that the latest issue would be brought before the authorities to decide the future course of action.

Complaints by other students too Nagpur:

Ankit Narwade, first year student of Government Ayurvedic college on Umrer road, said ragging in the institution had forced him to spend a couple of nights on the railway platform in the past. "I had to take shelter in a lodge for fear of being ragged in the hostel by seniors," he said. Another first year student, Pranab Kolhe, said that seniors needed to be addressed as 'sir' and one had to keep his eyes down when they passed by. The students also claimed that they would be locked inside the rooms and washrooms, asked to learn the names of seniors by heart, consume liquor and face humiliation, including keeping their head bowed while standing for long hours.

Ragging horror: Andhra college girl loses voice

http://zeenews.india.com/news/andhra-pradesh/ragging-horror-andhra-college-girl-loses-voice_789145.html

Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, a college girl student in Andhra Pradesh lost her voice after alleged ragging by her seniors. The incident took place at the hostel of Gayatri Junior College at Gotlam in Vijayanagaram district on July 19 but came to light on Sunday when she was shifted to Visakhapatnam for treatment.

Shamili, a student of 11th standard who had taken admission last month, was allegedly ragged by some senior girl students when she was alone in her hostel room on the night of July 19. In her written complaint to the police, the girl alleged that her roommates had gone for dinner and there was power shutdown in the hostel when some girls entered her room and attacked her in darkness. They tried to throttle her with a rope. The injury marks were clearly visible on her throat.

A shocked Shamili lost her voice and could not speak when her roommates returned. The girl was sent to a local hospital and later to district hospital in Vijayanagaram, about 700 km from Hyderabad. As the girl did not get back her voice, her family shifted her to Visakhapatnam. Shamili's father, who broke down while talking to reporters, said they lodged a complaint with police, who are investigating the incident. IANS

Suspected ragging kills science student

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-19/bhubaneswar/32746213_1_college-authorities-college-staff-pond

 BHUBANESWAR: A college student died after being allegedly ragged by his seniors in Madanpur area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Thursday, sparking tension in the private institute. The Plus II science student Ipsit Nayak's body was found floating in an artificial pond of a stone quarry, a day after he went missing. The pond is located a stone's throw from NIIS Institute of Business Management where he was studying. A native of Balangir district, Nayak was staying in hostel. "My son became a victim of ragging. Some of his rival seniors from Bihar insisted him to play with them, later murdered him and threw him in the pond," his father Rajendra Nayak told media persons. He lodged a complaint in this regard at Janla police outpost demanding arrest of the accused.

Janla outpost's in-charge Dhruba Charan Pradhan said: "Prima facie it seemed to be a simple case of drowning. There were no external injuries on body. Postmortem report can establish the exact cause of death." Ipsit's mother Basanti Nayak raised finger towards the college management for failing to maintain cordial atmosphere in the college. "The college staff abetted the crime. Why did the hostel authorities allow him to go out while it was raining," she asked. College principal Bhabani Sankan Rath refuted charges of ragging in the college. "We do not encourage ragging in the institute.

The students, along with Nayak were playing. Perhaps he drowned while swimming in the pond. I do not think he was murdered," Rath said. The college was declared sine die in view of tension on the campus. Sources said Nayak moved out of the college around 5 pm while it was raining. When he did not return hostel in evening, his friends said he was playing with others near the pond. The college authorities informed Janla police around 8pm and later informed the fire brigade. The firefighters frantically searched him till late night, but could not trace him.

MGM student arrested for ragging

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/ranchi/78038-mgm-student-arrested-for-ragging.html

A final year student of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly ragging and beating up a junior student for not giving him the cellphone number of a first year girl. Deputy Superintendent of Police RR Singh said the accused, Rajiv Ranjan, was arrested from his hostel. “First year student Priyam Kumar had filed complaint against Rajiv at MGM Police Station on Tuesday — concerning ragging.

The junior alleged that he was beaten up during the ragging for not providing the cellphone number of a girl of his batch to the senior,” noted the DSP. Singh said as it was not a usual case of ragging — normal for the takes start of a session — the police were investigating it. The complainant, Priyam Kumar (20), a native of Sahebganj, had on Monday lodged a verbal complaint with the MGM Police Station and college principal AN Mishra.

On Tuesday, he made it a written complaint at the police station. "Rajiv asked me to become 'murga'. Then he asked me to undress and when I protested, he slapped me. He then locked me in a room and threatened me with dire consequences," Priyam had said. Concerned over recent ragging incidents in the college, the State-run MGM College & Hospital has decided to revamp the Anti-Ragging Cell to make it more effective.

Daly College: Student suspended for bullying

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MP-IND-daly-college-student-suspended-for-bullying-3523855.html

Indore: A day after media reported that ragging had taken place at Daly College, the school authorities suspended a student accused of bullying about a dozen juniors. The incident had taken place on the residential premises of the school five days ago. The accused, Raj Rai, a standard XI student had beaten up some standard X students at their boarding house on Saturday night. Following this, the parents of the victim students had lodged a formal complaint with school authorities on Monday.

The school authorities had been keeping the issue under wraps and had not even lodged a police complaint in stark violation of Supreme Court directives regarding ragging. Things came to fore only when a section of media reported the incident on Thursday.

On Friday, activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a demonstration against the incident outside the school premises. Some of them even barged inside after climbing over high gates of the school and going right up to the porch of the historic 130- year old main building to hold protest. The school authorities then called in the police to push out protesting activists. "An inquiry has been initiated on Friday and the student stands suspended till it is completed. Whether he will be rusticated or not would depend upon report by school disciplinary committee," said school PRO KS Kapasiya.