GMC Nagarkurnool 3 MBBS students suspended for ragging

Hyderabad: Taking cognizance of a ragging complaint, the Government Medical College (GMC), Nagarkurnool has suspended three senior MBBS students for allegedly physically harassing, beating and slapping a first-year junior student in a hostel room. An FIR has also been registered against the accused in connection with the case.

Among the three, one student (Third year) has been suspended for three months, who is reported to be the main culprit, while the other two (Second year) have received suspensions of one month. 

The junior student in his complaint stated that he was subjected to severe harassment, including being forced into a wall chair pose, made to hold a 5kg cylinder, beaten multiple times, leading to bleeding, and blackmailed with obscene photos. 

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The incident occurred on March 25 in a hostel room, where the first-year MBBS student was "humiliated" by his seniors. One of them allegedly beat him with a belt and slapped him. The seniors also demanded his UPI PIN, and when he refused, they beat him again.

In his complaint, he alleged that on the evening of March 25, one student asked him to come to their hostel room, where three seniors—one third-year and two second-year students—forced him to perform the "air chair" punishment. The air chair punishment is a physical exercise where a person must squat as if sitting in an invisible chair, holding the position for an extended period. After 30 minutes, he was forced to hold a 5 kg LPG cylinder.

The trio then took his phone, accessed his private chats on an instant messaging app, and opened his phone gallery. Despite his resistance, they viewed his photos and videos, the complaint stated.

He was "ordered" to kneel with his hands up, and when he slightly lowered his hands due to pain, one senior repeatedly beat him with a belt. The seniors then called his batchmates and "humiliated" him in front of them using his photos and videos, as per the FIR. One senior also forcibly transferred 34 videos and photos from his phone to his device, it said.

The complainant was allegedly blackmailed, with the seniors threatening to send the photos and videos to his father. One senior slapped him multiple times, causing bleeding, the complainant stated.

Later, the junior student filed a complaint with the police, and a case was registered against the three seniors under relevant sections of the BNS and the Telangana Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997, on March 26.

Following the police complaint, the accused were counselled and summoned in a meeting held on April 2 by the anti-ragging committee. After an investigation, the committee found the three students guilty of ragging the junior and accordingly recommended the actions. Later, the college suspended them. 

Telangana Today reported that the college authorities had a meeting with the parents of students after the incident of ragging was reported. The college authorities assured parents that robust measures would be initiated to prevent such incidents in the future.

"Two of the accused students are in the second year and have been suspended for a month, each. The third student, who is a third-year student, is the main perpetrator. He has been suspended for three months," GMC Nagarkurnool principal, Dr Ramadevi, told TOI.

Also read- KMCRI ragging: 5 MBBS students suspended for forcing juniors to attend classes as proxies