In a tragic incident at GMERS Medical College and Hospital in Gujarat, an 18-year-old first-year MBBS student, Anil Methania, collapsed and died after being subjected to a cruel ragging ritual. Anil, who had just begun his medical journey at the Dharpur Patan campus, was reportedly forced to stand for three long hours by third-year students as part of an "introduction" exercise.

It is alleged that after standing for three hours, 18-year-old Anil collapsed and became unconscious. He was hospitalised and he recorded a statement with police that he was made to stand for three hours. He died soon after.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the medical community and beyond.

As the news of Amit’s death broke out, those who were outraged took to social media, expressing concerns about the prevalence of ragging culture in Indian higher education spaces.

Dr Bhavesh Varandani, an alumnus of Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Manipal, wrote, “Can it get any more disgusting and shameful than this? How are we still stuck in a world where ragging is even a thing?”

Despite the existence of laws and policies that prohibit ragging on campuses, incidents like this raise serious questions about the effectiveness and enforcement of these measures.

The Gujarat Police has reportedly registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 15 seniors from the GMERS Medical College and Hospital, who were identified by the college’s anti-ragging committee after the demise of the student.