Ragging in Bijapur Medical
College
Dr. Y.P. Chhibbar, General Secretary, PUCL had sent a case of ragging in a Medical
College in Karnataka on January 30, 1997. The Commission considered the replies
received from the concerned authorities on April 30, 1997. The order was conveyed
to the PUCL on July 11, 2000:
The Commission received a complaint from Shri. YP Chhibbar, PUCL Delhi who had
alleged that there was a large scale of barbaric and obscene ragging of students
of first year and fresher of medical College of Bijapur, Karnataka. The impact
of the ragging was so deep that some of the students left their studies and
returned back home. The rage of ragging created so deep havoc that some times
the freshers who were recently tortured and forced to perform bestial act and
they had over night become psychological wrecks in sequel to the trauma and
they needed immediate medical attention if their lives were to be saved from
disaster. These incidents of ragging were immensely more sadistic and cruel,
inhuman. The worst of all that these would happen in the presence of wardens
of the hostel. The principal of BM Patil Medical College, Dr. PL Kariholu was
permitting this menace to continue in connivance with vice principal, the hospital
administration, and the teaching staff all were aware what was going on in the
campus. The complainant prayed for sincere and true effective steps to ensure
that the Hydra headed monstrosity of ragging was eradicated forever.
The Commission took cognisance of the complaint and issued notice to the Chief
Secretary, Government of Karnataka calling for the reports within 6 weeks. The
Secretary to the Government of Karnataka submitted a report stating that the
Principal of BM Patil Medical College stated in his report that 16 students
were booked in the APMC Police Station in case No. 13/97. The case was investigated
and charge sheet was filed in the Court against them which was pending for trial.
The Principal of the Medical College rusticated these 16 students from the college
and the same was communicated to the parents of the students. The Commission
has gone through the report and is of the view that since this students who
were found involved in the ragging were facing the trial of the Court and the
charge sheet was filed in this connection, which would take it's own course
of Law. The 16 students were rusticated from the college. The Commission is
concerned with the ill treatment and the ignomity with which the fresher and
the first year students, meet in the professional college campus. The case is
accordingly closed.
(PUCL Bulletin, August 2000)