Madhya Pradesh: 7 Medical Students Charged For Ragging In Ratlam, Rusticated For A Year

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against seven students of the Government Medical College in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh for alleged involvement in ragging, and they have been rusticated for a year, an official said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on July 28 when videos showing senior medical students slapping juniors surfaced on social media. Later, they also misbehaved with the warden by throwing bottles when he arrived at the spot, reported The Print.

7 Students Charged Under IPC For Ragging

After Dr Anurag Jain filed a complaint, the warden of the medical college's boys' hostel, an FIR was registered against seven students on Saturday night, assistant sub-inspector Suresh Kumar Shinde of Audyogik Kshetra police station said.

All seven students have been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) for allegedly ragging junior students, the ASI added.

College dean Dr Jitendra Gupta said all students charged with ragging had been rusticated for a year. Earlier, on July 24, a criminal case was registered against unidentified students of the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College in Indore following a complaint of ragging received on the University Grants Commission (UGC) helpline.

The students were booked for assaulting, ragging, and bullying first-year students. The identity of the accused students is yet to be revealed. The committee held a meeting on July 24 and believed there was evidence against the senior students. WhatsApp chat and audio recordings prove ragging and harassment with junior students occurred.

With the rising cases related to ragging in educational institutions, it has become imperative for authorities to keep checking on-campus activities. It affects students' mental health and might become uninterested in attending classes. In fact, it has been reported earlier that many students die by suicide after facing bullying or ragging from their peers.

As per guidelines issued by University Grants Commission (UGC), it has become mandatory for institutions to add 'anti-ragging' cells. This move aims to set up processes through which ragging cases can be brought to notice, and authorities can take necessary steps. It is only through such steps that the cases of ragging or bullying can be brought down, and students' mental health also don't get affected.

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