DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY RAGGING INCIDENT: 3 students arrested, 18 expelled; magisterial inquiry ordered

 Say NO to ragging, CM appeals to students

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Dibrugarh police on Monday arrested three students involved in the ragging of a first-semester student of M. Com in Dibrugarh University. The victim student, identified as Anand Sharma, jumped off from the second floor of the PNGB hostel on Saturday as he was allegedly unable to bear the brutal physical and mental torture of senior students of Dibrugarh University.

On Monday, Dibrugarh University authorities expelled 18 students from the university hostel for their involvement in ragging. Three other students who were arrested by the police in connection with the incident were temporarily suspended from attending classes till the completion of the inquiry. Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Biswajit Pegu has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident which will be conducted by ADC Sanghamitra Baruah.

"It has come to notice that a Dibrugarh University student is hurt in an alleged case of ragging. Close watch maintained & followup action coordinated with district administration. Efforts on to nab the accused, victim being provided medical care. Appeal to students, say NO to Ragging," said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a tweet.

Condemning the incident, State Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu on Monday asked the Dibrugarh University authority and police to take strong action against the culprits. "We will not tolerate such activities. I am also asking university authorities to be vigilant and take prompt action whenever any attempt of ragging is reported. Ex-students should not be allowed to stay in hostels," he said.

Anand Sharma, a first semester M. Com student and a boarder of Padma Nath Gohain Baruah Chatra Nivas (PNGB hostel) was allegedly tortured by senior students, including a former student of Dibrugarh University, from 4.30 pm of November 26 to 5 am of November 27.

Unable to bear the torture he, on the pretext of going to the bathroom, jumped off from the second floor of the B Block of the PNGB hostel to save himself from the extreme physical and mental torture. Sharma sustained grievous injuries in the process and was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital.

His mother, Sarita Sharma, a resident of Amguri in the Sivasagar district, lodged an FIR at the Dibrugarh police station on Sunday night where she named several students of Dibrugarh University, including Rahul Chetry who was a former general secretary of Dibrugarh University.

Swinging into action, the police detained three accused, namely Pranjit Boruah, Niranjan Thakur and Simanta Hazarika from the hostel on Sunday night and after that they were arrested and sent to jail. They were later arrested under sections 120B/341/395/307/143 of the IPC. Search for the other accused named in the FIR is underway.

In her FIR, Sarita Sharma had mentioned that the accused students tortured her son mentally and physically, attempted to kill him, looted his money and snatched away his mobile phone. They also took objectionable photographs of her son by putting alcohol and weed in his hand, she stated in the FIR.

On Monday, Dibrugarh University expelled 18 students from the hostel for their involvement in the incident. They are Galab Deka, 3rd Semester (Life Sciences), Niranjan Yadav, 3rd Semester (Statistics), Kalyan Dutta, 3rd Semester, (History), Simanta Hazarika, 3rd Semester (Economics), Pranjit Boruah, 3rd Semester (Chemistry), Chandan Jyoti Borah Sonowal, 3rd Semester (Statistics), Shivam Shroff (BCA), Pusang Kham Boruah, 2nd year (Tai Language), Pallav Borah, 3rd Semester (Education), Chitrabon Baruah, 3rd Semester (BCA), Narayan Adhikari, 3rd Semester (Chemistry), Nayanjit Thengal, 3rd Semester, (Applied Psychology), Monuranjan Das, 3rd Semester,(Anthropology), Mousum Phukan, 3rd Semester (Applied Geophysics), Bishal Deka, 3rd Semester (Geography), Debasish Biswas, 3rd Semester (Statistics), Amar Jyoti Nath, 3rd Semester (Travel & Tourism Management) and Nabadeep Sarma, 3rd Semester (Applied Geology).

The three arrested students, namely Dibyajyoti Gogoi, 3rd Semester (Applied Geology), Niranjan Thakur, 3rd Semester (Physical Education) and Subhrajit Baruah, 3rd Semester (Political Science), were temporarily suspended from attending classes till completion of enquiry. The action was taken by the Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) of the university under Clause 6 of the Dibrugarh University Regulations for Prohibiting Ragging and Anti-Ragging Measures.

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