Title: PG Student Ragged, Threatened for Four Hours in Kolkata University
Kolkata’s Jadavpur University is once again under scrutiny after a second-year postgraduate student reported being verbally abused and threatened for four hours inside the hostel on Tuesday. The student alleged the harassment was retaliation for his stance against ragging. On Wednesday, the student formally lodged a complaint with the university’s anti-ragging committee.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the university community, with students and faculty members expressing concern over the increasing cases of ragging and hazing in the institution. The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed that he was targeted by a group of seniors who were angry with him for speaking out against ragging.
According to the student, the harassment began at around 10 pm on Tuesday night when he was approached by a group of seniors in the hostel corridor. The group, which included some of his classmates, started taunting him and using abusive language, allegedly because he had refused to participate in a ragging ceremony earlier that day.
The student alleged that the seniors threatened to harm him if he didn’t apologize and conform to their demands. Despite his pleas for mercy, the group continued to harass him, with some of the seniors even making threatening phone calls to his family.
The student was forced to spend the entire night in the hostel, unable to leave or seek help from anyone. He was only rescued the next morning when a group of his friends and classmates intervened and managed to escort him out of the hostel.
The student’s ordeal has sparked outrage among students and faculty members at Jadavpur University, with many calling for stricter measures to prevent ragging and hazing on campus. The university’s anti-ragging committee has launched an investigation into the incident and has promised to take stern action against those found guilty.
The incident is just the latest in a series of reported cases of ragging and hazing at Jadavpur University. In recent years, the university has faced criticism for its handling of such incidents, with many students and parents accusing the administration of being too lenient towards those involved.
In 2019, the university was forced to shut down its law department for several days after a group of students were allegedly forced to strip and perform a “strip dance” as part of a ragging ritual. The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to the resignation of the university’s vice-chancellor.
The university has since taken steps to prevent such incidents, including the establishment of an anti-ragging committee and the implementation of strict measures to prevent hazing. However, it appears that more needs to be done to address the problem, particularly given the latest incident.
The student’s ordeal has also raised concerns about the broader issue of ragging in India. According to a report by the National Human Rights Commission, ragging is a major problem in Indian educational institutions, with many students facing physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their seniors.
The report noted that ragging can have serious consequences for students, including depression, anxiety, and even suicide. It also highlighted the need for stricter measures to prevent ragging and hazing on campus, including the implementation of anti-ragging committees and the prosecution of those found guilty.
In conclusion, the incident at Jadavpur University serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater vigilance and action to prevent ragging and hazing in Indian educational institutions. The university must take immediate action to address the issue and ensure that students are safe and secure on campus.
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