Ragging at MKCG Medical College: HC expresses Concern, orders Police Probe

Cuttack: Expressing concern over the incident of ragging on the first-year MBBS students at State-run Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College, Berhampur, the Orissa High Court on Friday ordered a police probe into the matter.

The HC division bench of Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho observed the incident to be "immoral and unacceptable” and further directed the Dean and Principal of the institute to take prompt action to segregate the newly admitted students from their seniors by completely sealing their access.

Further, the bench expressed its shock over "incidents of ragging in the form of physical and mental torture" and noted, “Prima facie we are satisfied that the college authorities are failing to discharge their duties for guaranteeing protection to the students, freshly admitted in the medical course in that college. We are greatly shocked.”

Slamming the college authorities for failing to check ragging on campus, the HC bench has also directed the Ganjam Superintendent of Police to conduct a probe and take appropriate action in such illegal activities.

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As per the latest media report by Times of India, the bench has directed the Ganjam SP to immediately consult the dean and principal and “do a stock-taking exercise and take appropriate action against the students who are found to have indulged and are indulging in such immoral and unacceptable conduct despite the prohibition declared by the Medical Council of India”.

At this outset, the bench further observed, “We are really shocked that despite the notification... issued by the Medical Council of India, a few medical colleges have failed to arrest these kinds of activities within the campus and hostels.” “But a very thin section of the senior students is involved in such criminal activities,” it further noted.

Referring to the Medical Council of India (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions) Regulations, 2009 which declared ragging as a punishable offence, the HC bench further noted “In the past, there had been concerted efforts for preventing and eradicating those criminal activities commonly called ragging. Even in-house committees to stop the ragging were put in place. Other mechanisms were adopted to stop this pernicious behaviour. We are really shocked that despite the MCI notification, a few medical colleges have failed to arrest these kinds of activities within the campus and hostels.”

The Hindu adds that the bench further observed in this context, "Other measures for prohibiting ragging had been recommended. Since the said notification has been issued by the MCI, that is binding on all medical colleges. Prima facie we are satisfied that the college authorities are failing to discharge their duties for guaranteeing protection to the students, freshly admitted, in the medical course in that college. We are greatly shocked."

These observations were made by the High Court bench while considering a Public Interest Litigation filed by a resident of Berhampur, Laxmidhar Swain. The New Indian Express adds that the bench has listed the matter for further hearing on September 11 for further consideration. Meanwhile, notices have been issued to the Secretart of Home Department, the Director of Medical Education and Training, Director General of Police, collector (Ganjam), SP (Ganjam) and dean and principal, MKCG Medical College. These authorities have been asked to file their responses by the next date of hearing.

The allegations of ragging at MKCG Medical College came into the light last year as well when a senior resident attached to the medical college was booked after a second-year medico complained that the accused ragged him on campus. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the initial investigation had revealed that the second-year students including the medico were trying to organize an informal cultural event on the campus. However, he was ragged by a senior resident doctor.

Also Read: MKCG college junior alleges ragging: Senior Resident booked