Nine Assam students punished for ragging, tough action hailed

By IANS,

Guwahati: The Dibrugarh University has decided to crack the whip on ragging by expelling a post graduate student and penalizing eight more with varying degrees of punishment, including fines - a move hailed by influential student bodies in Assam Sunday

"We are in favour of eradicating ragging from educational institutions and hence welcome the Dibrugarh University's decision to punish errant students found involved in ragging of juniors," Joy Prakash Das, president of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, told IANS.

In a path-breaking decision, the university Friday night announced the expulsion of Madhav Kachari, a post graduate Commerce student, besides debarring him from seeking admission to any other institution.

Another post graduate student of the History department, Manash Pratim Gogoi, has been expelled from the university for two straight terms, besides a fine of Rs.10,000.

Similarly, seven more students, including two girls, were penalized with punishment ranging from expulsion from their respective hostels and fine of up to Rs.20,000. The university also decided to cancel any merit scholarship availed by the errant students.

The tough action was initiated following written complaints against the nine students to the vice chancellor by junior students alleging "mental torture" bordering on obscenity.

"We have taken the decision after an enquiry committed instituted to probe the ragging charges found the accused students guilty. We are adopting a zero tolerance policy when it comes to ragging inside the university," said K.K. Deka, Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), urged authorities of all educational institutions to take firm action while dealing with students found involved in ragging.

"Let us make it very clear that there should be no compromise when it comes to taking action on students found involved in ragging. Authorities of educational institutions should deal with the menace of ragging with a firm hand," AASU adviser Sammujjal Bhattacharya said.

On Aug 9, a first year graduatuion student of Dimoria College in Sonapur, on the outskirts of Assam's main city of Guwahati, became the first casualty of ragging after he allegedly committed suicide Sunday by jumping in front of a speeding train.

Chintumoni Bordoloi was a student of Assamese major and had joined the college just three days earlier.

Investigations are on after both Bordoloi's family and the college authorities lodged separate police reports.