‘Ragging’ at Mizoram vet college: 2 victims forced to leave hostel

Aizawl: An alleged incident of ragging has been reported at the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Selesih in Mizoram’s Aizawl district.

The two alleged victims, who are 19 and 20 years of age, claimed that the deprecating act involved cleaning the seniors’ motorcycles, washing clothes and cleaning their utensils. Both the first-semester students alleged that they were forced to assemble in the seniors’ room past midnight, where they stood for over an hour with their hands behind their back. While one of the victims left the hostel and the institution on August 5, the other, too, joined him on August 12.

Sources have revealed that the family of the alleged victims submitted a written complaint to Mizoram’s apex student body — Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) — and North East Students Organisation (NESO) and demanded that action be taken immediately to end the menace of ragging in Mizoram’s premier veterinary college.

Speaking to EastMojo, Ricky Lalbiakmawia, finance secretary of NESO, said, “NESO strongly opposes ragging throughout Northeast and all over India. Whenever such things happen in any part of the region, NESO always takes immediate action.”

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He also mentioned that after hearing about the reports, the NESO held a discussion with the MZP and went to the institution to meet the dean and other professors. He also stated that the administration has informed them about the establishment of an anti-ragging committee. The dean reportedly never heard about ragging taking place in the institution, Lalbiakmawia added.

Lalbiakmawia said that they asked for a direct interaction with students so that they could warn others of the dangers involving acts of ragging. But their request was declined as the students of the institution were undergoing an examination.

Sources in the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry stated that they are investigating into the incidents of ragging within their institution. They added that the two students left the institution, with the authority and their parents/ guardians, citing preference for other courses.

The biggest NGO of the state, Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), is also probing into the alleged ragging incident.