Anshad, a second year Degree student at the Naher Arts and Science College in Kannur of Kerala was allegedly attacked by senior students in what is believed to be a ragging incident. Two third year students involved in the attack have been suspended by the anti-ragging committee of the college, reports Asianet News.
"We have registered a case against the attack. Sections 143 (punishment for member of unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt by weapons) and 149 (punishment for member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been added. But as of now, the section for ragging has not been included," says a police official at the Chakkarakkal police station in Kannur, under which Kanhirode, where the college is located, falls.
Anshad told Asianet News that he was taken to the bathroom and beaten up by a gang of senior students without any provocation. It happened in the afternoon of November 5, Friday, and after the incident, Anshad had been reportedly unconscious till evening.
He was asked to give money and obey everything the seniors asked him to, Anshad said. When he tried to block their blows they beat him more. He was hit on his back, face, ears and chest, he said. They tried to check his bank account balance on the phone and for money in his pockets. They did not let him go to complain and kept threatening him, he said.
Anshad figures that he was taken to the bathroom to avoid the incident being recorded in CCTV.
Ragging is banned in educational institutions of Kerala and most colleges list strict actions against those found ragging their juniors. However, incidents of ragging are still often reported from various colleges across the state.