NIT Silchar expels from hostel 9 students accused of ragging; Police starts investigation

May 10: The word ‘ragging’ sends shiver to many who has been the victim of it. Ragging is a cognizable offence (offence for which the police can arrest the offender without warrant). This heinous practice has caused deaths and  suicides of many bright students in the recent  past  in  India,  forcing  the  Supreme  Court  to  take  a  serious  view  of  the  menace,  and recommend  deterrent  and  justifiably  harsh  punishment  to  those  guilty  of  ragging.

Inspite of the strict dictum, such an instance at the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar came to surface, where a third year student of Electrical Engineering Branch was ragged by his seniors. The victim identified as Rajan Das, a resident of Karimganj’s Patharkandi area alleged that his seniors assaulted him inside the NIT Silchar Campus on 28 April, 2022. Rajan Das, however, was so shocked at the incident that he could not gather courage initially to lodge a complaint against his seniors. Finally, almost after a week, Rajan Das filed an FIR at at Ghungoor Police Outpost against nine of his seniors.

In the complaint lodged by Rajan Das, it was alleged that at midnight on 24 April, when he refused to go out and purchase cigarette for the senior students, he was detained in a room by his seniors for more than an hour. During this illegal detention, he was physically tortured by his seniors for disobeying them. He further alleged that the accused broke his mobile phone and laptop.

The victim Rajan Das lodged the FIR many days after the incident took place. So why was he so late filing the complaint. He said, “I had infact informed about the incident to the concerned authority of NIT, Silchar, but did not get justice all these days.” On that other hand, being physically tortured, he was not feeling well. Finally, unable to get justice from his own institute, Rajan became bound to knock the doors of the law enforcing authority and lodged a police complaint.

The incident of ragging at NIT, Silchar soon became viral and people of the valley also aired severe grievance against the NIT authorities for their inaction against the accused since a fortnight. After the police complaint was lodged, MLA Patharkandi, Krishnendu Paul had a talk with Prof. Shivaji Bandyopadhyay, Director of NIT, SIlchar. MLA Paul demanded strict action at the earliest. Barak Youth Development Front also raised voice against this incident and too demanded immediate action against the accused.

Speaking with way2barak, Prof. Shivaji Bandyopadhyay, Director of NIT, Silchar said, “After receiving the complaint, I asked the Anti-Ragging Committee to look into the matter. A separate committee was also formed to investigate and they were working on this issue. They have also spoken to all the parties concerned.” The Director further said that on the basis of their report, nine final year students were expelled from the hostel on Tuesday.  Secondly, as Rajan Das has incurred financial losses because his mobile & laptop were broken, so the nine accused were asked to bear the expenses of repairing them. Further, NIT authorities have also informed the parents of the nine accused about the incident.

Prof. Shivaji Bandyopadhyay also informed that Rajan has been referred to Silchar Medical College & Hospital (SMCH) for treatment. He informed that NIT Silchar will abide by suggestions given by SMCH for the treatment of Rajan Das. Further, NIT would also bear the cost of his treatment, if SMCH suggests to take him to some other better place.

So how is Rajan now? Responding to this, Director Bandyopadhyay said, “Their examinations are going on now. Rajen has given the exam properly on Monday. However, on Tuesday, he felt unwell, after an hour of the exam. It was then that on the consultation of the doctor of NIT, Rajen came to stay with his relatives at Silchar. It needs mention here that after the incident of ragging took place with him on 24 April, he left the hostel and started to stay at one of his relative’s house in Silchar town. In his FIR, Rajan Das also mentioned that the accused seniors were threatening to kill him.

Meanwhile, as this incident has gone viral in many social media platforms, netizens have raised fingers towards the anti-ragging cell of NIT, Silchar. One of the netizens took to his Facebook wall and wrote, “Looks less like a disciplinary action and more like a vacation trip for culprits before they leave the campus So baised. The culprit seniors were restricted from hostel who anyways will be leaving college in 7 -10 days. Seems like college themselves are promoting this kind of incident.” Another netizen wrote, “NIT failed to deliver justice to the victim. If such an incident of ragging could happen with a 3rd semester student, imagine what is happening with those who are in 1st semester! Definitely, all is not well with NIT, Silchar.” Grievance was lodged by many when some media reports also claimed that the NIT authorities were contemplating disciplinary action against Rajan Das for lodging police complaint. However, NIT Director on Tuesday refuted such claims and assured that no disciplinary action will be taken against the Rajan Das.

As Rajan Das failed to get justice from the anti-ragging cell of NIT and went to the police for getting justice, it would now be the turn to see how the law enforcing authorities deal with this issue. Ragging is a cognizable, non-bailable offence compoundable with the permission of the court. Justice for Rajan Das would be achieved only when punitive measures are taken against the accused as per the law of the land, so that it becomes an eye-opener for other students.