Tinsukia: A student at Assam’s Dibrugarh University has been admitted in critical condition to a private hospital after he reportedly jumped from the two-storied hostel building “to escape from brutal ragging” by senior students. Three students of the university have been arrested following the incident and hunt is on to nab the other associates.
The victim has been identified as first semester M.Com student Anand Sharma, a resident of Amguri in Sivasagar district. Sharma’s family has alleged that Dibrugarh University authorities sat on his complaint for months, because of which he is fighting for his life today.
Those arrested have been identified as Pranjit Baruah, Niranjan Thakur and Simanta Hazarika.
The incident has sent shock waves among students and parents across the state and comes at a time when stringent punishments are in place with instructions to authorities to deal with ragging incident with firm hand in order to stop the menace inside educational institutions.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter asking students to say no to ragging. On Monday, he tweeted: “It has come to notice that a Dibrugarh University student is hurt in an alleged case of ragging. Close watch maintained & followup action coordinated with district admn. Efforts on to nab the accused, victim being provided medical care. Appeal to students, say NO to Ragging.”
“We are enquiring the matter and are going to take strict action against the culprits,” Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University Dr Jiten Hazarika said.
Meanwhile, victim’s mother Sarita Sharma has lodged an FIR with Dibrugarh Police naming five students, including an ex-student, for allegedly ragging and torturing her son Anand mentally and physically.
In her police complaint, Sarita Sharma said, “They looted his money, snatched away his mobile, took objectionable photographs by putting alcohol and weed in his hand with a conspiracy for their future defence.”
“He had been complaining to the authorities regarding the ragging but they did not pay any heed,” Sharma alleged.
It is learnt that the victim had complained to the Dibrugarh University authorities about ragging by some students.
“He had submitted written complaint to the warden of ‘C’ block of the Padma Nath Gohain Baruah Chatra Nivas (PNGBCN hostel) on November 17, mentioning names of 10 students. The authorities sat on his complaint instead of dealing it with a strict hand,” a student told EastMojo on the condition of anonymity.
Dibrugarh police has registered a case under sections 120B, 341, 395, 307, 143 of the Indian Penal Code and are investigating the matter.
“We have conducted raids at the hostel and arrested three of the five students named in the FIR. We are trying to identify the other associates involved,” officer-in-charge of Dibrugarh police station Raju Bahadur Chetry told EastMojo.
Chetry said the police learnt about the incident from their “own sources”, following which a police team rushed to the spot and met the victim, who was first taken to the Assam Medical College and Hospital and later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit at private Aditya Hospital.
Later, the victim’s mother filed a police complaint naming five students and their associates.
“No compromise will be made and action will be taken against everyone whose involvement comes to light during the course of the investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile, a group of Dibrugarh University students sat on a protest in front of the administrative building to demand responsibility and accountability from the university authorities who were “not able to protect the 1st semester students.”
The students are also demanding stringent action against the perpetrators who “assaulted and mentally harassed Anand Sharma and other students” in the name of ragging.
On Monday, education minister of Assam Ranoj Pegu tweeted: “I strongly condemn the ragging incident in Dibrugarh University where a student has been hurt grievously. Asking DU authority and police to take strong action. We will not tolerate such activities…”
“I am also asking university authorities to be vigilant and take prompt action whenever any attempt of ragging is reported. Ex-students should not be allowed to stay in hostels,” Pegu added in a second tweet.
According to latest information, meeting of the disciplinary action committee and anti-ragging squad of Dibrugarh University is going on to take action against the perpetrators of the alleged ragging incident.
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