GUWAHATI:
Three students of Dibrugarh University were arrested by the police after a shocking incident of ragging came to light in a hostel – Padma Nath Gohain Baruah Chatra Nivas (PNGBCN) on November 27 night.
Two other students, including the former general secretary of Dibrugarh University Students’ Union (DUSU) and secretary of Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS) Rahul Chetry, have been absconding till filing of this report.
As per university sources, 18 students have been expelled from PNGBCN with immediate effect.
Taking note of the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he was keeping an eye on the matter, and coordinating with the district administration for follow-up action. He appealed to students to say ‘no’ to ragging.
Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police, Shwetank Mishra, said that the parents of the student, Anand Sharma, filed a complaint alleging ragging by five people in a hostel at the university. Following this, accused Niranjan Thakur was arrested and three others were detained, the SP said. “Condition of the injured victim is stable,” he added.
Police conducted a raid at various places, including his house at Jagun in Tinsukia district, but are yet to trace him.
Those who have been arrested are Pranjit Baruah, Niranjan Thakur (third semester, Centre for Physical Education) and Simanta Hazarika.
The arrest was made based on an FIR lodged by Sarita Sharma, mother of a student Anand Sarma, who alleged that her son has been tortured mentally and physically by a group of students at the PNGBCN since 4.30 pm on November 26.
“They attempted to kill my son, looted his money and snatched away his mobile, took objectionable photographs by putting alcohol and weed in his hand with a conspiracy for their future defence,” Sarita Sarma said in the FIR.
In the FIR, she named Rahul Chetry (ex-student), Dibyajyoti Gogoi (third semester, Dept of Applied Geology), Subrajyoti Baruah (third semester, Dept of Pol. Sc.), Niranjan Thakur (third semester, Centre for Physical Education), Kalyan Dutta (third semester, Dept of History).
Police have registered a case No 729/2022 under section 120B/341/395/307/143 of IPC based on the FIR lodged by the mother Anand Sarma.
“A group of senior students confined three students – Anand Sarma, Jyotish Kumar Kalita and Ujjal Kumar Kalita in a room on the second floor of the hostel building. They have been forced to have liquor and other drugs substances. They looted their mobile phone and took snapshots in half-naked condition,” said a police official of Rajaabhata Police Station, Dibrugarh.
“They have also threatened the newcomers not to inform the police or university students failing which their half-naked photos will be made viral on social media,” the official said.
“Following such torture a student Ananda Sarma jumped from the second floor of the hostel and was shifted to a private hospital by the boarders of the hostel. Later hostel warden Dibyajyoti Dutta came to know about the incident and he searched the hostel room and informed the university authorities leading to the rescue of two other students in the hostel room,” he also said.
“Two other students Jyotish Kumar Kalita and Ujjal Kalita have been shifted to room no 101 of the University Guest House,” he added.
Critically injured Anand Sharma, student of M.Com first semester, Department of Commerce, has been admitted to ICU at Aditya Hospital.
Anand Sarma has been complaining to the university authority regarding his suffering due to the ragging by some students, there was no action taken by the authorities based on his complaint which led to Saturday’s incident.
He had given a written complaint to the warden of ‘C’ block of the PNGBCN hostel on November 17 mentioning the names of 10 students.
“The head/chairperson/warden of the concerned department/centre/hostel is requested to ensure execution of the order and report to the undersigned on the compliance of the same,” the order added.
In addition to this, the university authority has imposed a penalty on Kamala Krishna Kakati (second semester, Department of Mathematics) for his involvement in the incident.
Two students Simanta Hazarika and Pranjit Baruah have been suspended from classes at the university.