Kerala Ragging Incident: Fresh Complaints Filed, Five Students Barred from Education
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Synopsis
The Nursing Council has halted the education of five third-year nursing students for their involvement in ragging at a Kottayam college. Four additional complaints have been filed, prompting police investigations and the suspension of key college staff.
Key Takeaways
- Five nursing students barred from further studies.
- Four new complaints lodged by junior students.
- Police investigation reveals evidence of physical harm.
- Principal and staff suspended over incident.
- BJP to launch anti-ragging initiative.
Kottayam, Feb 15 (NationPress) The academic pursuits of five third-year nursing students, who are currently incarcerated for ragging a first-year student at the state-run Nursing College hostel in Kottayam, have been halted. This decision was made by the Nursing Council on Saturday and subsequently communicated to the Health Department and the State Government.
This action means that these five accused individuals are prohibited from continuing their education in any college within Kerala.
Simultaneously, four additional complaints from junior students were filed on Saturday. A probe team from the Kerala Police conducted a raid on the hostel and uncovered crucial evidence related to the materials used by the five students to inflict injuries on the first-year student.
The Principal of the institution, A.T. Suleka, along with Assistant Professor Ajeesh P. Mani, has been suspended from their positions. The hostel's housekeeper and a security official, both of whom were on contract, have also been dismissed.
Kottayam legislator and former State Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has called for judicial oversight of the ongoing case.
State BJP president K. Surendran announced that BJP members would initiate a program aimed at combating ragging, which is allegedly being perpetuated by the student wing of the CPI-M -- SFI.
"Reports indicate that these activities carried out by SFI activists are more egregious than actions taken by terror organizations. The SFI has morphed into an anti-social entity. The CM Vijayan government and the CPI-M are providing cover, which is why previous ragging incidents remain unresolved, allowing SFI members to evade the law. We will establish an anti-ragging help desk in all 14 districts, with the first in Kottayam. All individuals can reach out to the desk without fear," stated Surendran.
Earlier this week, third-year students Rahul Raj, NS Jeeva, N.P. Vivek, Rigil Jeeth, and Samuel Johnson were apprehended and subsequently placed in judicial custody after a first-year student lodged a complaint with the police on February 11.
Shocking footage of the brutal assault on the unsuspecting first-year student was broadcasted on Malayalam TV channels, causing widespread outrage. The video depicted senior students laughing and making vulgar remarks while the victim was restrained to a bed, a heavy object placed on his private parts, and his body harmed using a compass.
The role of college authorities has come under scrutiny as they claimed unawareness of the incident. First-year students reported being threatened with severe consequences if they disclosed the matter. It has now come to light that the senior students were involved in this act to raise money for purchasing drugs and alcohol.
Although the SFI has been cited as being behind this heinous ragging act, its state secretary P.M. Arsho has dismissed the claim as unfounded, asserting that none of their activists are involved in the case.
