[The Telegraph] Burning ‘game’ at Stephen’s - Calcutta boy set on fire during suspected ragging session

Thursday, October 04, 2007
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI

New Delhi, Oct. 3: A Calcutta boy studying at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College has complained to college authorities that he was set on fire during a ragging session.



College authorities have confirmed the episode, which occurred on the night of September 27, but said it was an “accident” and not a case of ragging.



The former student of St Xavier’s School, Calcutta, suffered burns on his hands and knees after seniors sprayed him with deodorant and threw a burning match at him.

A first-year Chemistry Honours student, the boy is now back with his family in Calcutta, the college authorities have told The Telegraph.

The victim reluctantly confirmed the incident, and the burns to his knees and hand, but said he did not wish to pursue the matter further. “Whatever punishment has been handed out to them is more than enough,” he said, speaking from Calcutta. The boy also felt that the match was not thrown with intent to harm him.

Four second-year students who attacked the boy have been penalised, the college authorities said.

“Three of them, who were drunk, have been punished more severely than the fourth,” a senior college official said. The three have been suspended for one year from the hostel, and for a month from classes.

The fourth, who the college authorities say was sober, has been suspended for one month from classes and the hostel — called the “Residence” in St Stephen’s lingo.

St Stephen’s authorities, however, did not agree that the incident is a case of ragging and said it was a “game”.

“Students often play a game... spraying deodorant on their hands, and setting a match to it. It burns at a low temperature, and so does not hurt the skin. They were indulging in the same game,” an administrator said.

The college admits, however, that the victim and his friends did not see the incident as a “game”.
According to the college authorities, a group of the victim’s friends, led by a second-year student, “attacked” the four boys who set him on fire, “dragged them” and “beat them up”.
The second-year student who led the retaliation has also been suspended for one month from classes and hostel.

Under Supreme Court guidelines, put in place by a committee headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan, college authorities who receive a complaint of ragging from a student should “immediately” register a case with police.

“It is recommended that the college authorities should first file a case, and then continue their internal investigation,” Rajendra Prasad, one of the members of the Raghavan committee, said.
If the victim or his parents are not satisfied with the action — or the lack of it — that the college authorities have taken, they can file a second complaint with the college, following which the institute authorities have to go to the police, Prasad explained.

“The victim or his parents can also approach the police directly if the college ignores the second plea. Then the college is also accountable,” Prasad added.

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[NDTV] Agra student pushed off college roof

NDTV Correspondent
Wednesday, October 3, 2007 (Agra)

The Supreme Court may have banned ragging on campuses across country but no one seems to be listening.

A student who recently joined the second year of a private engineering college in Agra is in hospital with a broken backbone and fractures in the leg.

He was pushed from the roof of the college building by his seniors.

Abdul Wahab of Meerut, who is studying at the Anand Engineering College in Agra alleged that he had been ragged frequently by the seniors, who often extorted money from him.

''He had told us earlier also that he was being troubled. He said that students were demanding money. But we somehow managed to persuade him and told him to go back. Boys pulled out some money from his wallet. Our son is in pain. He has suffered multiple fractures,'' said Abdul Inam, father.

The police have registered an FIR in the case.

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[TimesNow Photograph]

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Law student from Raiganj ragged in Bolpur

Radhamadhab SahaRAIGANJ, Sept 5: Despite the government's tall claims, students of educational institutions in the state, it seems, are still not free from physical torture in the name of formal ragging by their seniors.

In one such incident, Sagnik Chakraborty, a first year student of Bolpur Law College in Birbhum and resident of Raiganj, was allegedly subjected to physical assault in the name of ragging by Bijoy Kumar Dey, a third year student of Bengal Institute of Technology, and his associates at a rented house in Bolpur. An injured Sagnik, who returned home today, had to undergo treatment at the Raiganj district hospital. His father, Mr Chandan Chakraborty, a teacher by profession, today lodged a complaint against Bijoy and his friends with the Raiganj police station.

Alleging that his son was subjected to physical assault, Mr Chakraborty demanded strong action against the accused students.

Sagnik, who passed HS examination from Kaliyaganj Parbati Sundari Higher Secondary School this year, took admission in Bolpur Law College. Talking to reporters here today, he said: "At Bolpur, I was living in a rented room at Udayanpally, around 10 km away from my college. Bijoy was also staying in the same house, though in another room. I used to take meal in another house with Bijoy and his associates. They were physically assaulting me in the name of ragging. Last Thursday, they tied up my eyes with handkerchief, placed me on the railing of the three-storyed building and instructed me to walk through the railing. After advancing two steps, I started losing balance and jumped on the right side building. I fell on the roof of another three-storyed building. Thanks God, I did not receive any major injury. However, Bijoy and his friends caught me again and touched my body parts with burning cigarette. As a result, I received burn injuries. I later informed the matter to my father who reached Bolpur the next day and brought me here."

Sagnik's father Mr Chandan Chakraborty said they will bring the matter to the notice of the Union I&B and parliamentary affairs minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, urging him to take action against the accused students.

Speaking to The Statesman over telephone, Dr Subir Roy, the teacher in-charge of Bolpur Law College, said: "The incident was unfortunate. Those who ragged Sagnik are not the students of our college. If we receive any written complaint from the victim, we will contact the BITM authorities over the issue and urge them to take action against the accused students."

The North Dinajpur SP, Mr SB Purnapatra, said they have informed the matter to Birbhum police officials.

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