Ragging lands student in hospital

The menace of ragging once again raised its head as Bhagath Mohan, a student of Punalur S.N. College, was admitted to Punalur Taluk Hospital after he was brutally ragged by his senior.

Police have arrested Shihas, a third-year B.Com student and son of CPM member, in this connection.

According to reports, Mohan was ragged as he did not salute his seniors. It was also reported that Shihas allegedly tortured the boy with a sharp edged tool at the Punalur bus stand.

Shihas was arrested forcefully after a gang resisted his arrest.

The Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 says students found ragging directly or indirectly or abetting within or without educational institution are liable for imprisonment for a term which may extend up to two years with a fine which may be up to Rs 10,000.

Depending upon the severity of the case, the guilty can either be suspended or dismissed and can also be debarred from gaining admission in any institution for five years.

For the first time in 2007, a Thiruvananthapuram fast track court had convicted three students for sexually harassing and gangraping a first-year student during ragging at School of Medical Education in Kottayam in 2005.

The first two convicts-Renjith Verghese of Kollam and Sherin of Muvattupuzha- were sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000 each. The third convict Sheffeq Yusuf was jailed for three years with Rs 5,000 fine.

In spite of stringent rules and convictions, ragging cases were reported from state at regular intervals. How can this menace be eradicated?.

“There are stringent rules, yet rules are violated. There is no lack of laws in this regard. Strict awareness classes should be given during admissions. Parent-Teacher Associations and voluntary organisations should play vital role in educating students on eradication of this colonial heritage,’’  Leela Menon, a senior journalist and a social activist told TSI.

Jibin Joseph, 24, a student from Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district, was also attacked with a wooden piece at Coimbatore recently.

Jibin, a first year MBA student of SNS College at Saravananpatti in Coimbatore was admitted in a private hospital in Thodupuzha with multiple fractures on his shoulder bone. He was subjected to a series of humiliation in the name of ragging.
In another incident, four Plus-Two students of government higher secondary school at Kumarakom, Kottayam, were arrested in July 2011, for allegedly ragging a Plus-One student.

The students had beaten up Justin Peter, the Plus-One student. His fault was that he refused to remove the shoes he had worn to school. The students have been arrested and were also suspended from school for 15 days.