Four MBBS students at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra, have been expelled for ragging juniors. The expulsions involve two students from the 2019 batch and two from the 2021 batch.
The two 2019 batch students were expelled for one year and fined ₹1 lakh each. They must pay the fine within seven days. They were also expelled from their internships and hostels. One of these students was currently doing his internship, while the other couldn't appear in exams due to low attendance.
This incident, which happened on June 5, involved physical assault on a junior student by the seniors. The anti-ragging committee investigated the matter and recommended disciplinary action. The injuries to the junior were not severe, but the student reported being harassed and bullied.
In the second incident, two students from the 2021 batch were expelled for six months and fined ₹50,000 each. This case, reported on June 2, involved harassment through WhatsApp messages without any physical assault.
The principal of Tanda Medical College, Dr. Milap Sharma, emphasized the strictness of the anti-ragging act and the serious consequences for those who engage in such activities. He noted that, despite regular warnings about the consequences of ragging, some students still get involved, forcing the college to take action.
Last year, the college also suspended and fined students for ragging. The issue of ragging at Tanda Medical College has a grim history. In 2009, a 19-year-old MBBS student named Aman Kachroo died due to injuries from ragging, leading to stricter anti-ragging guidelines from the Supreme Court of India.
The recent actions against the four students followed complaints filed online by junior students with the National Medical Commission. The Commission then asked the college authorities to investigate. Following the investigation, the anti-ragging committee recommended the expulsions and fines.
Dr. Sharma reiterated the college's zero-tolerance policy towards ragging, stating that heavy fines were imposed to act as a deterrent. The expelled students were identified as Arun Sood, Siddhant Yadav, Ragvendra Bhardwaj, and Bhavani Shankar from the 2019 and 2021 batches.
On the evening of June 5, the senior students called the juniors to room 108 of the boys' hostel, where they abused and beat them up. Following the incident, the junior students lodged a complaint with the National Medical Commission.
An investigation by the college's anti-ragging committee found the four senior students guilty. Based on the investigation report, the college management took the decision to expel the students and impose fines as a deterrent against future incidents of ragging.
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
