Student lodges ragging complaint

Student lodges ragging complaint

BEHRAMPORE: A student of Murshidabad College of Engineering and Technology (MCET) has lodged a complaint of ragging at Behrampore police station against eight third-year students on Saturday.

Arif Iqbal, the second-year student, alleged that the seniors had demanded Rs 600 from him a few days ago. But he had refused. Things came to a head when they blocked his way while he was going for a class on Thursday and again demanded the amount. But Arif stood firm. This prompted the students to pounce on him and bash him up. Arif suffered facial injuries and his spectacles were broken.

MCET principal Dibyendu Ghosal, however, pleaded ignorance and wondered as to why Arif did not inform him of the matter before going to police.

"I do not know why Arif went to the police first before intimating me anything about the matter. We will set up a committee to probe into the matter. I will request the police not to start an inquiry before we start our investigation," he said. However, deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Santo Mitra ruled out the option. "We are not bound to keep the principal’s request. If Arif has lodged a complaint, police will start an investigation," he added. "I went to the police first as I was frightened," Arif said.

Five students arrested in connection with ragging

Five students arrested in connection with ragging
Thursday November 1 2007


THRISSUR: In connection with the alleged ragging of a junior engineering student, Christo, by the senior students of Vidya Academy of Science and Technology at Kurumal in the district, the police arrested 5 senior students of the college on Wednesday.

Vadakkancherry Circle Inspector said that the students, accompanied by their parents surrendered before him at the police station. He said that they were released on bail later.

Bhopal college principal denies ragging incident

BHOPAL: The principal of Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal, S Rajamohan, said he had suspended eight third-year students for a fortnight for the ragging incident. Five of them have been rusticated from the girls' hostel. However, he maintained it wasn't ragging but an argument that turned nasty.

SP Anant K Singh told TOI, "We are still conducting investigations. You can expect arrests soon. The case registered is under bailable sections but they will be arrested."

The police have registered a case under sections 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC on Thursday.

When TOI visited the hospital, the victims - Vinima Gautam (19) from Delhi and Puja Punia (18) from Agra - refused to speak on the issue.

Police said 17 freshers were "ordered" by their seniors to gather in room No. 27 of the hostel around 9.30pm on Wednesday. The seniors began asking them "embarrassing" questions.

When the freshers didn't reply, they were abused. The seniors allegedly threatened to beat them up and said they would "fail" them in examinations if they didn't obey. All 17 first-year students were made to stand in a line for the next two hours. Around midnight, two of the freshers collapsed.

Vinima's father, V L Gautam, who arrived in Bhopal on Thursday, told reporters that the college management was wrong in saying that his daughter wasn't a victim of ragging.

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

LUCKNOW: A first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh died of alleged poisoning early Tuesday, a few days after he told his parents about a ragging ordeal he faced at the hands of senior students. The family of Amit Tiwari, 22, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

Ragging claims another life

Lucknow, Oct 17: Unable to cope with his daily ragging, another student ended his life by consuming poison in Pratapgarh, Sahara Samay sources said.

Amit, a first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh, died of alleged poisoning early on Tuesday.

Amit's wailing mother told that her son, who had gone back to his college a couple of days ago from his native place Unnao, had been constantly subject to ragging by his seniors.

The family of 22-year-old, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

On the other hand, the principal of the college has said that ragging is not the reason behind Amit taking the extreme step. He further said that he himself inspects hostel and college rooms from time to time to check ragging.

Meanwhile, police has lodged a case and is probing it.

Bhopal medical students boycott classes, fearing ragging

Bhopal medical students boycott classes, fearing ragging

Bhopal, Oct 19 (IANS) Over 140 students of the Gandhi Medical College here have stopped attending classes for fear of being ragged by their senior students.

All students have stopped going to the college since reports of beating up of three first-year students last week. "They are afraid of being tortured by ragging," said a first-year student who preferred not to be named.

The college management refuted the charge and said all students have gone home for the festivals over the past fortnight.

"It is a general practice seen every year during this season. The question of ragging in this college doesn't arise," said Jeevan Singh Meena, President of the Central India Junior Doctors Association (Central JUDA).

Gandhi Medical College dean Nirbhay Srivastava, however, regarded student absenteeism as an of indiscipline and said: "It is gross indiscipline. The parents of these students are being informed, and we may seriously think whether to allow them to appear in the exams."

Madhya Pradesh has seen a string of cases of ragging in recent times.

Eight girls were arrested for ragging at a local hotel management institute here earlier this month while a student committed suicide in Indore, alleging harassment from his seniors.

Three held for ragging in Bangalore

BANGALORE: Two nursing students and a warden have been arrested for ragging 14 first-year nursing students. Police are on the look-out for four other accused, who have fled to Kerala.

The incident occurred at VVS College of Nursing at Kengeri Satellite Town on Tuesday. The arrested are V T Verghese (53), the warden, Shireen Raj (20) and Aadesh T Raj (20), both students. Jeopav, Litto Anthony, Thomas Mathew and Albin Jose are on the run. The accused students dragged the juniors out of their rooms and asked them to strip and dance.

The juniors were then slapped and hit with belts. The episode took place in front of the warden. After learning about the incident, the college principal lodged a complaint.

Ragging at Surat Medical College

Surat, Oct 23: In spite of Supreme Court guidelines, ragging is going on unabated in medical and engineering colleges across India. One such incident came to light at the Government Medical College of Surat.

The first year students were beaten black and blue in the name of ragging after midnight.

The victims are in a state of shock after the incident.

Talking to the channel, one of the students said that they were subject to brutal beating by their seniors at for an hour between 2:30 am and 3:30 am.

Taking the matter seriously, the college administration has suspended 10 senior students of the college for a month, they added.
Several students have ended their lives due to cruelty of their seniors in the name of ragging in medical and engineering colleges across the country in recent months

Case registered against vet students for ragging

Case registered against vet students for ragging

Thrissur, Oct 23: Police have registered a case against five students of the Veterinary College in Mannuthy here, following a ragging incident in the college hostel, that led to suicide attempt by the "victim".
Police said Manu, a first year student at the college and native of Neyyattinkara, attempted suicide by cutting a vein in his arm.

He was admitted to the Private Jubilee Mission Hospital here.

Kerala Agricultural University Vice Chancellor K R Viswambaran said stringent action would be taken against those found guilty.

A committee would be appointed to monitor the situation regarding ragging incidents, he added.

--- UNI

Ragging heat on principal

Ragging heat on principal
OUR LEGAL REPORTER
Calcutta, Oct. 24: The high court today dismissed an engineering college principal’s petition to reconsider its order to provide round-the-clock security to a ragging victim.

The principal of Mallabhum Institute of Technology in Bishnupur, Bankura, pleaded that it was near impossible for him to ensure first-year student Soumya Roy’s security through the day and sought respite from the responsibility.

But vacation judge Justice B. Somadder would not have any of that. The administration and the judiciary should be more active in eradicating the evil of ragging, he said.

Soumya, from New Barrackpore, who went to study electronics at the institute, about 230km from Calcutta, had been confined to a hostel room for three days and allegedly forced to take drugs.

Justice Somadder had passed the order on principal Sunil Kumar Roy when the boy’s father sought his transfer to any other engineering institute. But there is no rule allowing a student’s shift from one private college to another.

The judge asked Roy to take special care to ensure that Soumya was not ragged again and added that he would be held responsible in case of a rerun of the torture.

Ragging victim demands justice

Ragging victim demands justice



Staff Reporter







THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A veterinary student who tried to end his life after being allegedly ragged by his seniors at his college at Mannuthy in Thrissur district recently has demanded immediate action against those who had tormented him.

At a press conference here on Friday, M. Manu, hailing from Punnakkad near Neyyattinkara, said the authorities should create an atmosphere that would enable him to go back to the college soon.

“I want to complete my studies. I hail from a poor family and had joined the veterinary college the hard way. But I can go back to the college only if the authorities offer protection to my life because those who had ragged me had threatened to kill me if I made their harassments public,” Mr. Manu said.

Abuse to community


He alleged that those who had ragged him had also abused the Nadar community to which he belonged, apart from forcing him to engage in unnatural sex and showering abusive words on him.

He did not know the names of the students who had tormented him, but would be able to identify them.

R. Chandrasekharan, State chairman of the Vaikunda Swamy Dharma Pracharanasangam, who was present, said his organisation would launch intense agitations if those who had perpetrated the heinous crimes against Mr. Manu were not brought to book soon.

To submit memos


He said the organisation would submit memorandums to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to ensure that Mr. Manu, son of a poor weaver belonging to the Nadar community, was able to continue his studies peacefully. S. Mohanan, father of Mr. Manu, was present.

Ragging in engineering college

Ragging in engineering college

An 18-year-old student, son of a city sub-inspector, doing his first year aeronautical engineering in a private college in the city, was allegedly beaten up by his seniors who ragged him in the college bus while they were returning from Pondichery. Fellow students admitted him to the Balaji Hospital in Guindy where he was given first aid.

[ToI] Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

17 Oct 2007, 0106 hrs IST,Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui,TNN

LUCKNOW: A first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh died of alleged poisoning early Tuesday, a few days after he told his parents about a ragging ordeal he faced at the hands of senior students. The family of Amit Tiwari, 22, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

Link to Report

[ Herald Tribune ] Malaysian army probes recruits' alleged abuse, warns against ragging

The Associated Press
Published: October 17, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The Malaysian army is investigating claims by two recruits that they were abused by senior officers, a top official said Wednesday, as he warned of severe punishment for bullies in the force.

Zarul Fahmi Shabsuddin, 20, alleged he was forced to drink weapon cleaning fluid while Khairul Azzuwan Zainal Rashid, 19, claimed he was scarred after an officer cut his arm with a knife, said Lt. Gen. Mohamad Effendi Mustafa, commander of the army's first division infantry.

The two recruits, from a military camp in Sarawak state on Borneo island, filed complaints with police late last month, he said.

"We don't accept any ragging ... we don't tolerate such nonsense. We are investigating the allegations and (anyone found guilty) will get into trouble. They will be punished," Effendi told The Associated Press.

Investigations are expected to wrap up this month, he said.

Zarul and Khairul are on leave for the Eid al-Fitr holidays but are expected to return to the camp this weekend, he said, adding that no one has been suspended so far.

Allegations of abuse are not uncommon in the Malaysian army.
Last week, another family lodged a report, asking police to investigate the death of their son in August in an army camp in southern Negeri Sembilan state.

The army has said Norrafizul Abdul Rahim died after falling from a four meter (13 feet) high fence, but the family claimed the post-mortem report showed their son had 25 injury marks on his body caused by blunt objects, local reports said.

Four students eyed in UNH hazing incident

Four students eyed in UNH hazing incident
Updated report

By AARON SANBORN
Democrat Staff Writer


DURHAM — Four students are under investigation by the University of New Hampshire police for an alleged hazing incident on Monday night.

Police say a male Army ROTC cadet had been left tied up in the bucket of a utility truck on Boulder Field shortly after 11 p.m. Police officers patrolling the area found the student after pulling over a vehicle leaving the field.

Three first-year cadets were in the vehicle and when questioned disclosed to the officer that a senior cadet was tied up in the utility bucket truck. All four students are now being investigated.

The student was uninjured and fully clothed, said Deputy UNH Chief Paul Dean. How long the student was tied up and how he was tied up was not disclosed. The student's participation in this incident was voluntary, Dean said.

The cadets were part of an informal, unrecognized student organization called The Tenth New Hampshire Volunteers. The organization contains 23 ROTC cadets who perform community service, said University spokesperson Kim Billings. Since the school doesn't recognize the organization, it doesn't have a faculty adviser.

"The alleged hazing incident involving our cadets is not representative of the ROTC program or the university," said Lt. Col. Michael Carlino, UNH professor of military science, in a statement. "The students involved were acting well outside the purview of the department and in total absence of any of the instructors' knowledge. Any form of hazing is inconsistent with the principles of leadership and judgment that we try to instill in our cadets and we will not tolerate or condone such behavior."

Police hope to conclude the investigation by the end of the week.

"I can't remember the last time we had a hazing incident at the university," Dean said. "We take any hazing incident seriously, the psychological effects on anyone being hazed can be devastating. We will act directly and swiftly."

Hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,200 fine. The students could also face action from the college, depending on the results of the police investigation, Billings said.

"We could also take them through the Student Conduct Board, which could result in community service or suspension," Billings said.

Freshers get extra shield

HYDERABAD: Separate buses, separate messes, and staff doing the rounds to keep a protective eye on them. Yes, engineering colleges are going that extra mile to keep the freshers away from the seniors to prevent any incidents of ragging on campuses.

With the new academic year having begun, the administrative wing of many colleges are geared up to prevent ragging. Several colleges have segregated the juniors, including introduction of separate lunch timings so that students do not meet in the canteen or anywhere on the campus. In Vasavi College of Engineering and Nizam’s Institute of Engineering, separate buses are being used to ferry the freshers.

"We are plying separate buses for freshers so that even when they are not on the college premises there will not be any kind of ragging. The extra care is being taken as we do not want any student to be a victim of any kind of pranks," Vasavi College, principal, D Changal Raju said.

Vasavi College has even put the faculty on weekly duties to roam around in the college premises. They have been asked to keep an eye on the students, especially near the parking place, gate, college canteen and also the less frequented places by the students.

Though the college means well, such practices are not very popular among the students. Many students feel that regulations in meeting only increases the differences between various batches. "There will be no sense of unity among the consecutive batches. We will not be able to come together for any kind of competition or other events where the college has to be represented," said, a third year student of Vasavi College, Raghav Jhawar.

Raghav is confident that there will be no case of ragging in his college even if there aren’t any restrictions. However, the college administration feels that it is better not to take a chance and be on the safe side.

Apart from the general preventive measures, CBIT has even introduced separate mess for junior students where the seniors are not allowed. At least two faculty members are posted at the entrance of the mess. "We have staff who are on duty in the buses as well. Staff members stay put after college hours so that students do not stay back to rag," CBIT principal, B Chenna Kesava Rao said.

The freshers feel that though the institutions were going overboard with their protection they are happy with some of the arrangements. "It is nice to know that the college cares for us. We get a protected feeling," a fresher from CBIT, Sri Ramkishore said.

While the colleges are employing their own strategies to prevent ragging they are also trying to involve the police. The colleges have distributed pamphlets with phone numbers of the police.

They have also asked the police to stay put at public places near the colleges, including bus stops where there is a possibility of students to meet.

The restrictions in the colleges will continue till the freshers’ day where the first year students will be formally welcomed and introduced.

Eight girls accused of ragging arrested in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Eight college girls accused of ragging their juniors at a management institute were arrested in Bhopal on Monday.

The girls, all students of Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), arrived at the Kamla Nagar police station with their parents and surrendered. They were arrested and later released on bail, police station in-charge R S Goraiyya said.

After the case of ragging was reported, the girls were suspended from the college and a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on each of them. Five of the accused were also suspended from the college hostel.

The complainants alleged in their report that they were humiliated by their seniors who asked them indecent questions.

They also alleged that the seniors forced them to stand for nearly two hours late in the night on October 3, following which two of them fell unconscious and had to be admitted to a private hospital.

Institute Director Rajamohan said strict action has been taken against the accused girls and they and their parents have tendered an unconditional apology for the ragging incident. A report was also submitted to the chairman of the Institute in this regard for further action.

Police had booked the girls for physical abuse and manhandling their juniors in the name of ragging.

The accused were identified as - Kawalpreet Kaur, Jaisline Maria Pinto, Neha Khanna, Dipti Mirke and Hina Ishaq Mohiddin (all hailing from Mumbai), Upasana Goel (Delhi), Rohini Oberoi (Bareilly) and Shubhi Walia (Hyderabad), he said.

College suspends students in Greater Noida ragging case

Greater Noida, October 12 The six students alleged to have stripped and burnt a first year student at the Apeejay Institute of Architecture and Planning were today suspended from the college. The students — Aditya, Aakash, Farhan, Naman, Prashant and Subur — had allegedly sprayed deodorant and burnt the private parts of Prashant Kumar Agrahi on October 4 in the college hostel.
B R Zaidi, Station House Officer of the Kasna Police Station said, “The boys are absconding and have left the college hostel. We have formed teams to trace them and they will be arrested soon.” The victim said he was earlier also beaten up, stripped, made to dance and later hung from the balcony of one of the higher floors. The decision to suspend was taken after the boy’s father Dhruv Prasad Agrahi approached the police on Thursday, police said.

Agrahi had approached a local television channel and got a complaint registered with the Kasna Police Station, where a case of rioting, criminal intimidation, willfully causing injury and illegal confinement was registered against the accused.

D Rajvanshi, chief of the anti-ragging cell, said, “Keeping in mind the serious nature of the crime, we decided to take such an action. It will also act as a deterrent for other students of the college.” Dhruv Prasad said, “It is important that no student is subjected to serious physical and mental torture in the name of ragging.”

The victim, who is in a state of shock, said, “I was too scared to approach the college authorities. They had threatened me with dire consequences.” He told the authorities and his father about the incident on Monday.

Student harassment goes on: Noida is new entrant to the list

Oct 12: When in May this year Supreme Court gave its ruling on Ragging after taking into consideration the recommendations by Raghavan committee we took a sigh of relief in the hope that now this evil could be weeded out from the academic premises and now students can go to colleges without any fear for ragging as there will be mechanisms to handle the violators of the conduct.

To be sorry, hopes were weakened if not belied as I came across various incidents where students dared to overlook the ruling of the Supreme Court and indulged in the crime playing with the life of junior students.

Our students are so badly affected by this leprosy of mind that they lose every reasoning ability and sentiment and moral obligation to respect other’s personality and observe certain norms of humanity. I am horrified that this disease has affected every corner of the country.

No this claim is not void. There are stats to support this claim. During recent months the incidents of ragging were reported from Lucknow, Agra, Bhopal, Indore, Delhi and now welcome new entry Noida.

A quite heinous incident on ragging has been reported from the APJ institute of Greater Noida in which seniors stripped the juniors and made them dance. They also burnt the private parts of the victims. Prashant, a Delhi resident and a student of B.Architecture registered a complaint in police station against seniors when Management did not became active in spite of his complaint and tried to suppress the issue.

This was not enough, to disown any responsibility and escape any punishment they also made them write a suicide note and threatened with dire consequences in case they reveal the incident to anyone. The darker side is that all the students who were misbehaved did not come forward to voice against it.

On the other hand the director told that management has ordered the investigations of the matter at its level.

Some days ago a student, Abdul Bahav was thrown from the third storey of the hostel building of an engineering college in Agra which ended with the breaking of both of his legs and injuries in the backbone. Just a week ago four students were expelled from the Stephen’s college Delhi for allegedly ragging the juniors though college denied it was a ragging incident. In Indorea student named Durgesh Shukla an MCA student committed suicide due to ragging. In Lucknow Sanjay Pal Singh had his nervous break-down due to the harassment. List is not over. Even in Bhopal, hotel management college eight students were suspended over ragging of juniors.

There is one more aspect of some of the incidents. Agra college management claimed that the incident with Abdul Bahav was not a case of ragging but personal fight of students. The principal of St. Stephen’s college also rejected that students have been suspended due to any case of ragging. Most of the time if not always college also tries to cover up the situation.

What is needed courage by the students to resist such practice, strict implementation of the directives by the Court and establishing proctorial board at college level, a complaint box in every college and special watch at the start of new session.

To deter it, expulsion from the college, taking back the degree and fine can be imposed on the student. And as the court suggested there should be incentives for curbing the menaces well as disincentives for the institution if fails to do so. We also need to weed it out from our psyche. This reflects a sick psyche not the civilized one.

Noida ragging: Six students suspended

Noida, Oct 12: As many as six students of a technical institute in Greater Noida were suspended today for brutally ragging a first year student and virtually forcing him to tighten the noose around his neck to end his life, Sahara Samay sources said.

Prashant Agrhari, a first year student at APJ Institute of Technology and Management in Greater Noida, was first paraded naked in the college premises by his seniors during a ragging session. Later, he was asked to hang himself by them and before that he was forced to write a suicide note, they said.

The incident took place on Oct 4.

When the matter came to light with the intervention of media, college administration swung into action and set up an inquiry committee to look into the accusations levelled by Prashant, the sources added.

Several incidents of nasty ragging have come to light of late and a number of innocent students have lost their lives due to it.

Raman Singh Urges Students to Keep Chhattisgarh Ragging Free

Raman Singh Urges Students to Keep Chhattisgarh Ragging Free

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Thursday told the higher education and technical education departments to ensure that no new student is mentally or physically harassed by seniors.

TN medical college suspends three for ragging junior

Dr K A P Viswanathan Government Medical College has suspended three third year MBBS students for allegedly ragging a junior student of the college a couple of days back.Official sources said, based on a complaint from the affected student's father, who is working as a Professor in a private college here, the college administration conducted an enquiry over the incident and cornered three third year MBBS students residing in the college hostel for their involvment in the crime. The students admitted the crime.Following this, the administration sent a detailed report to the Director of Medical Education (DME) Chennai and based on the direction from the DME, the students were suspended, the sources added. They, however, refused to divulge the names of the suspended students.

'Ragging' for a cause

'Ragging' for a cause

While St Stephen's College, Delhi University (DU), struggles with its on-campus ragging fracas, a group of students from the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), DU, have come up with a way to interact with freshers in a healthy manner. Their version of ragging is a `silent’ (mock) auction that they organise every year, wherein freshers are invited to bid.

On offer at the auction is a range of social meetings with seniors, including coffee dates, counselling sessions and even bike lessons for the fresh batch. The money collected at the auction is used for social causes.

"The bike lessons on offer had many takers, especially from girls," says Raman Dhaliwal, second year student at FMS. Adds Ashish Agarwal, president, Vihaan, FMS' social cell, "Customised homemade food for a week at only Rs 500 was a steal, as was the unlimited chocolate cake and ice-cream treat for Rs 270. It was exciting to have 200 freshers trying to outbid each other."

The event is also a novel way of contributing to society. Informs Neha Bhujang, second year student at FMS, "The fact that we collected around Rs 21,000 during the three-hour event shows how successful the idea is. This year, the highest bid was made for 'Financial Accounting Sessions' conducted by a senior."

The event also helps students to get interested in corporate social responsibility that is gaining popularity among employers. Adds Abhishek, a third year student at FMS, "This year too, Vihaan, our social cell, has decided that the money will be utilised for girl child education, as illiteracy especially of women is a roadblock to our growth."

Link to report : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Education/Ragging_for_a_cause/articleshow/2458331.cms

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

LUCKNOW: A first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh died of alleged poisoning early Tuesday, a few days after he told his parents about a ragging ordeal he faced at the hands of senior students. The family of Amit Tiwari, 22, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

FIR against college management, students in ragging incident

FIR against college management, students in ragging incident


4 October 2007

A case has been registered against the management of an engineering college and four students after a second year student was grievously wounded, when he was pushed off the third floor of a college building by his seniors.

On Monday evening, Abdul Wahab -- a B Tech II year student at the Anand Engineering College here -- was beaten black and blue by his seniors, who also snatched Rs 3,000 from him.

When the victim told them that he would complain to the principal, the accused allegedly pushed him off the third floor of the college building.

Abdul was rushed to a closeby hospital, where his condition was stated to be serious.

This morning, FIRs were lodged against the management of the Anand Engineering College and four unidentified students.

Taking cognizance of the episode, the district administration has directed all colleges of the Taj City to take necessary steps to prevent any ragging incident.

Meanwhile, Abdul's father alleged his son had became a victim of ragging.

However, the college administration denied any ragging incident.

link to report : http://www.indlawnews.com/B9EBB185BF020AD9FF7037C6BAF5B7A3

‘Legal teeth for ragging panel’

‘Legal teeth for ragging panel’
With about 53 cases of ragging reported from different parts of the country this year, the government is considering giving legal backing to recommendations of the Raghavan Committee report to check the menace.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mooted a proposal to make changes in the UGC Act to provide for action against institutions not following the Raghavan Committee’s recommendations.

The committee had reco
mmended to the Supreme Court earlier this year that an FIR should be registered against students accused of ragging and the institutions should set up a mechanism to prevent ragging in campuses and hostels.

In absence of any legal backing, the UGC found that it cannot force institutions to implement its recommendations.

As in the case of the recent ragging in St. Stephens College, the UGC can only seek a report and advise the institution to follow the recommendations. “We cannot even withhold the financial grant,” a UGC official commented, when asked about the commission’s powers to check ragging.

Now, the UGC is looking at providing legal backing to the Raghavan Committee recommendations in the UGC Act to make them effective. “We are considering a proposal in this regard,” said UGC member-secretary Tilak Raj Khem. Once finalised, it would be forwarded to the HRD ministry for final approval, he added.

Before a legislation on ragging, penal provisions against those running fake universities could come into force. The UGC has already submitted a proposal to the HRD ministry to enhance the fine for setting up a fake university and incorporate a provision for a jail-term. Under the present UGC Act, only a fine of Rs 1,000 can be imposed.

“A jail-term would be a deterrence to set up a university not approved by the UGC,” Khem said.

link to report :http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=29c3131a-3d9b-485c-af06-107c4fe061d7&MatchID1=4578&TeamID1=7&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1148&PrimaryID=4578&Headline=%e2%80%98Legal+teeth+for+ragging+panel%e2%80%99

Bhopal: Ragging turns into nightmare

Bhopal: Ragging turns into nightmare

The son of a farmer, 18-year-old Vishal, wanted to be an engineer. A few months ago, he took admission in a private engineering college in Bhopal to pursue his dream.

His father was happy even if he had to struggle to fund his son's education.

But now, Vishal wants to go back home. He says he and other first-year students were ragged for a month by seniors in the hostel. His head was tonsured and his moustache shaved off.

But things got worse last week when he and other freshers were stripped and made to dance. Those who failed to comply were brutally beaten up.

Unable to take it anymore, Vishal called up his father.

''They would make us strip and dance and then would beat us up. This happened not only with me but with other students as well,'' said Vishal Sharma, ragging victim.

Vishal's father has lodged an FIR but no arrests have been made so far.

Students claim they repeatedly complained to the warden but no action was taken.

Now in an apparent damage control exercise, six students have been suspended and an inquiry ordered.

''We are investigating the matter. Action will be taken against all those who are guilty,'' said Mubin Khan, Administrator, Utkarsh Hostel.

Recently, a first year MCA student committed suicide in Indore allegedly due to ragging. A couple of days ago, two girls of a reputed hotel management institute in Bhopal were hospitalized after they were ragged.

Earlier ragging was a harmless way to break the ice with the newcomers.

Unfortunately now it has turned into a nightmare for many. Despite strict anti ragging guidelines by the Supreme Court, the menace continues.

link to report : http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070028607&ch=10/8/2007%208:48:00%20AM

Bhopal College Principal denies ragging incident

BHOPAL: The principal of Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal, S Rajamohan, said he had suspended eight third-year students for a fortnight for the ragging incident. Five of them have been rusticated from the girls' hostel. However, he maintained it wasn't ragging but an argument that turned nasty.

SP Anant K Singh told TOI, "We are still conducting investigations. You can expect arrests soon. The case registered is under bailable sections but they will be arrested."

The police have registered a case under sections 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC on Thursday.

When TOI visited the hospital, the victims - Vinima Gautam (19) from Delhi and Puja Punia (18) from Agra - refused to speak on the issue.

Police said 17 freshers were "ordered" by their seniors to gather in room No. 27 of the hostel around 9.30pm on Wednesday. The seniors began asking them "embarrassing" questions.

When the freshers didn't reply, they were abused. The seniors allegedly threatened to beat them up and said they would "fail" them in examinations if they didn't obey. All 17 first-year students were made to stand in a line for the next two hours. Around midnight, two of the freshers collapsed.

Vinima's father, V L Gautam, who arrived in Bhopal on Thursday, told reporters that the college management was wrong in saying that his daughter wasn't a victim of ragging.

link to report : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Bhopal_college_principal_denies_ragging_incident/articleshow/2433635.cms

8 girls arrested on ragging charges

8 girls arrested on ragging charges
9 Oct 2007, 0402 hrs IST,Suchandana Gupta,TNN

BHOPAL: For the first time since universities and colleges were ordered by the Supreme Court to crack down on ragging, eight women students were arrested on Monday on charges of ragging juniors, two of whom had to be hospitalised.

Police arrested the eight students of the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal for ragging 17 first-years last Wednesday.

Two of the junior students had collapsed after being made to stand for hours while their seniors abused them and asked embarrassing questions.

Five of the eight accused are from Mumbai, one from New Delhi, one from Hyderabad and one from Bareilly. Police said the eight were arrested in the presence of their parents who were summoned by the institute authorities. They were, however, released on bail, police said.

The accused were identified as Kawaljeet Kaur Sethi, Upasana Goel, Neha Khanna, Dipti Mirke, Joseline Maria Pinto, Rohini Oberoi, Heena Ishaq Mohiddin and Shubhi Walia.

The students wouldn't get away without punishment because a day after the ragging took place police had registered a case under Sections 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC against them.

link to report : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/8_girls_arrested_on_ragging_charges/articleshow/2441185.cms

[ToI] Student ragged, stripped in Bhopal hostel

8 Oct 2007, 0235 hrs IST,TNN


BHOPAL: A shocking incident of ragging, coupled with an attempt at sexual assault, has been reported to the Madhya Pradesh police just two days after two first-year girl students of the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal were hospitalised following an alleged ragging session.

Engineering student Vishal Sharma has charged that his seniors beat him up, tonsured his head and shaved off his moustache on Friday night. They also apparently forced him to consume liquor with them, and made him dance for hours after stripping him - shockingly, they also tried to sexually assault him, according to the case filed.

Police registered a case of physical assault and hurt against the two senior who were involved in the act after the boy's father filed a complaint. One of the accused, Neeraj Kumar, was arrested on Sunday evening. Director of the institute Naeem Khan said eight senior students have been suspended.

The victim, a 19-year-old freshman of BE (Information Technology) at the Sree Institute of Science and Technology, is from Shivpuri district. He is the son of Congress leader in Gwalior-Chambal division Mahendra Sharma. Vishal, whose first semester started just 25 days ago, was staying at the reputed Utkarsh Students' Hostel in Lal Ghati area.

The hostel accommodates around 100 boys - 60 freshmen of the same engineering college, 20 seniors and 20 from other engineering colleges in Bhopal.

"From the beginning, they used to abuse and beat me up for no reason. When I told my father, he said it wouldn't last long. They would drink and force freshers to join them. But on Friday night, their torture crossed all limits," Vishal said.

Vishal said it was not just him but many other freshers too who were subjected to similar treatment. However, some students don't protest because their parents had spent a lot of money for their admission and they could not back out because of the ragging, he said.

Vishal added that two of his seniors - Kunal Chaudhary and Neeraj Kumar - had called him to their room on Saturday morning around 1 am. Traumatised Vishal now doesn’t want to go back to the same college and says he will not stay in a hostel again.

Link to Report