A Class 6 student has been traumatised by a case of brutal ragging at a private boarding school in Guwahati.
According to the sources, the shocking incident occurred at the National Public School (NPS), where a senior from Class 8 allegedly ragged the student. The mother of the victim stated that her son had been boarding at NPS since he was in fourth grade. The first year went well, and he returned to the hostel on February 28, 2022, following the COVID pandemic.
“I returned to pick him up on March 16 for the holidays when I saw him with a swollen eye and scars everywhere on his body,” the mother said.
Moreover, She claimed that a senior boy forced her son to do chores such as washing his clothes, bringing him water, and giving him a body massage.
In addition, she said there are many other students who were victimised by the (boy) and her son was also struck by a large school bag, which resulted in a swollen eye, and was struck by a rod several times. The victim has also accused the perpetrator of sexual harassment, including being inappropriately touched by him.
According to the victim’s mother, the school never had a proper warden to look after the students in the hostel.
Furthermore, the mother said “The children are allowed to call home only once every Sunday. The school should take responsibility for their well-being. My child couldn’t sit for a paper due to his swollen eye and there are clear marks of him being punched in the face and hands. How come the teachers and staff didn’t notice?”
The senior allegedly threatened the victim with dire consequences. He was threatened with being thrown off the building if he complained to anyone, so he chose to remain silent and claim that he had been injured on the door.
The victim’s mother also questioned the school authority, “He had been saying so when asked by teachers, but didn’t they notice that his scars were not possible by the mere door?”
He is so traumatised that he refuses to return to school. However, he will no longer be permitted to attend NPS. We knew he didn’t like it there because he said so earlier, but they never imagined it would be so dangerous.
On March 19, a complaint was filed at the Garchuk Police Station (PS) in this regard. However, no FIR has yet been filed.
After preliminary investigations, a Garchuk PS official said that the allegations of ragging were true.
Police have also questioned Ananta Das, the Head of Boarding at the National Public School about the matter.
Moreover, the accused student, who was from a neighbouring state, was given a “Transfer Certificate” from NPS, according to Das.
In addition, Das said that they always had two wardens on night duty in the hostel, and hence, showed the police the respective reports. Moreover, the school has formed a committee to investigate the situation.
The accused student and his parents have also been summoned for questioning by Garchuk Police by April 2. After the preliminary investigation is completed, a case will be filed.
Ragging is equivalent to crime
Any form of physical abuse, including all variations such as sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm, or any other threat to health or person, can be classified as ragging with criminal dimensions.
Ragging is a general term that refers to playing practical jokes on people or teaching them a lesson. Perhaps the Supreme Court of India has given a more comprehensive definition of ragging as follows:
“Ragging in any disorderly conduct, whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has
the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any student, indulging in rowdy or
indisciplined activities which cause or are likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological
harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student and which has the
effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the psyche of a fresher or a junior student.”
Several well-known Indian universities, particularly medical schools, have a history of ragging. It’s even considered a college tradition at times. However, due to numerous complaints of serious injury to victims and strict anti-ragging laws, it has become increasingly unpopular.
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