Kakinada : 11 engg students suspended from hostel for 2 months

Kakinada : The menace of ragging continues unabated in professional colleges and universities in Andhra Pradesh. In a latest incident, 11 students of Jawaharlal Nehru University-Kakinada (JNTUK) were suspended for their involvement in the ragging of a junior.

According to details, first year B Tech Petroleum Engineering student was forcibly made to write the records and related matters by the second and third year students of the same branch. Later, the victim has complained to his mother. However, she told her son that such things were common and that he should be patient and exercise restraint. But, his friend lodged a complaint on the incident with the National Anti Ragging Help Line (UGC Crisis Hotline) website.

Subsequently, Vice-Chancellor Prof GVR Prasada Raju and District SP M Ravindranath Babu received the information a few days back. The Vice-Chancellor constituted a committee comprising Prof UV Ratna Kumar, Prof Meera Sabhad, Empowerment of Women & Grievances Director Swarupa Rani and others as members to probe into the issue.

Taking a serious note of the incident, the Committee suspended 11 students. The committee began a detailed inquiry on June 20 to ascertain facts from the victim and other students for further action. The panel members elicited the details from the victim and also questioned the members who indulged in ragging. It has suspended 11 students from the hostel for a period of two months. They were also suspended for a fortnight from attending the classes.

JNTU-K Vice-Chancellor Prof GVR Prasada Raju told The Hans India that the committee after inquiry suspended 11 students from the hostel for two months. He also said that ragging incident was not brought to his notice directly. He took action immediately after receiving the message from the website. He said that stringent action would be taken against those resorting to ragging.

Principal MHM Krishna Prasad said that the committee has been formed following the orders of the V-C and an inquiry was conducted. He said that Sarparvam Circle Inspector A Murali Krishna came to the university and made a thorough inquiry into the nature of the incident. It is also learnt that JNTU-K has not lodged any complaint about the incident with the police.

Circle Inspector Murali Krishna told The Hans India that no complaints were made with regard to the ragging on JNTU-K campus. If any complaint is received, the police would take severe action against those indulging in ragging.

He said that if the anti-ragging committee exposes any ragging incident, the police would take action.