Kerala reports ragging cases soon after colleges reopen in full swing

Police in Kerala's Nadapuram, Kozhikode, registered a case against four senior students of MET Arts and Science College in the city allegedly ragging a third semester BA student. 

According to the complaint, the victim's eardrum was injured in the attack by senior students on the afternoon of November 17. The college council on the following day suspended one final-year BA student, Afnan Mohammed, in connection to the incident. The victim, who is from the English department, was allegedly harassed by the senior students and taken to the college washroom to evade CCTV cameras where he is said to have been beaten. 

"The seniors beat me for talking to other students in the class. The doctor said that my hearing capacity has been affected by the attack," the victim told The New Indian Express. 

The college took action within 24 hours as per protocol after it received the complaint from the victim, along with the medical reports that showed him to have suffered severe injuries.

Principal of the college, Majeed PP, said, "We immediately forwarded the complaint to the police, called for a college council meeting and suspended one of the accused. Only one accused has been identified right now."

He added that the anti-ragging cell in the college is functioning effectively and responds quickly. However, some students are indifferent towards the rules. "Only a few are neglecting the rules and they are harassing the other students in the name of ragging because they want to show off," Majeed said.

Though there are anti-ragging cells in every college, ragging among students is frequently reported in the state. A second-year degree student of Naher Arts and Science College in Kannur district was allegedly ragged by his senior students on November 5 this year. Similarly, on the same day, a first-year degree student was assaulted by some of his seniors in Sir Syed college in the same district. Just two days after these incidents, on November 7, a first-year BSc student of the Kerala Agriculture University was found dead in his hostel room.

READ ALSO : College student in Kannur college ragged, assaulted by seniors for speaking to girls, 20 arrested

According to statistics published on the UGC anti-ragging website, amanmovement.org, as many as 12 ragging cases have been reported in Kerala this year. It was only in November that colleges and schools started functioning in full swing after the frequent COVID lockdowns. In just half a month, three cases have been reported in the state and these are just official figures.