The anti-ragging committee of VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla on Thursday inquired into the ragging allegation lodged with the Anti-ragging Cell of University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

Dean and Principal of VIMSAR, Prof Brajamohan Mishra said a ragging allegation of junior students by a senior student was lodged with UGC's Anti-ragging Cell at New Delhi who informed the college authorities of the incident on August 31.

After receiving information, VIMSAR's anti-ragging committee held a meeting on Thursday, he informed. An inquiry revealed that it was not a case of ragging, Prof Mishra added.

Mishra said it was a brawl between a senior student and two juniors of VIMSAR near a dhaba outside the campus on August 29. A fourth-year MBBS student had entered into a brawl with two second-year MBBS students over some issue at the dhaba and the senior student assaulted the two following which a complaint was lodged with Anti-ragging Cell, New Delhi, he added.

Prof Mishra said they would apprise New Delhi cell that it was not a case of ragging and just a brawl between students, which had taken place outside the hostel of the institution.

On October 9 last year, VIMSAR authorities had debarred 23 undergraduate students of the institution, who were members of the students' union, from attending classes and library for one month over ragging allegation. Some first-year students and their parents had lodged a complaint of ragging with the anti-ragging cell, New Delhi after which they had informed VIMSAR authorities about the incident and subsequently, the anti-ragging committee of VIMSAR had inquired into the matter.