Ragging at Telangana medical college: 6 second year MBBS students suspended, permanently removed from hostel

Suryapet: The six medical students of the Government Medical College in Suryapet who were involved in ragging and harassing a junior have been suspended for one year and got permanently removed from the hostel.

The action comes after a committee headed by Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy found the six medical students to be guilty of misbehaviour and assault. The six medicos belong to the batch of 2019-2020.

Also Read:Five 2nd year MBBS students booked over Ragging at Telangana Medical College

The Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the incident where a first year medical student of the Government Medical College in Suryapet was harassed and assaulted on January 1 by the second year seniors in the boys hostel room following which the latter were taken into custody by the Suryapet police. The student was stripped, assaulted and threatened by the seniors.

The college principal CV Sharada spoke to the Times of India, "We conducted a thorough enquiry and submitted a report to the higher authorities on our findings. A committee constituted in the college questioned all the students and have come to the conclusion that six students were involved in the incident."

However, in the case of the other 25-30 seniors who were also mentioned in the complaint by the medico, the principal stated that only six second year students were found to be accused. The principal added that after they sent the report to the director of medical education, they received instructions to take action against the six medicos of the 2019-2020 batch.

Accordingly, the principal suspended them for a year and removed them from the hostel premises permanently. They were directed to vacate the hostel immediately.

According to a media report in the New Indian Express, Dr Reddy said that the victim had said that along with ragging, it was a case of assault and misbehavior, because of which they had to take the issue very seriously. He said, "We have taken stringent action against the six and have also called for a parent meet of all wards to counsel and warn them to discourage such behaviour as it can cost them their medical careers as well."

The office of DME has directed all other medical colleges to provide counseling to students in order to prevent such violent acts of harassment and ragging. Further, they have been directed to carefully and safely allow the new batches to get adjusted to the colleges.

Dr. Reddy stated, "We had introduced a mentor system where a group of 20 students come under one mentor figure about six years ago. We will ask them to counsel students under them against this specific issue."

The first year student who made the complaint have been sent to a counselling session and assigned to a faculty member to help him get back to college.

DSP of Suryapet S Mohan Kumar, the police were unable to examine the five students against whom a case was filed under the Ragging Act on January 3. The DSP stated, "They were attending the investigation by the college committee. We could only speak to the complainant. We will take our investigation forward."

As per the media report in the TOI, the college officials said that no such incidents of ragging has been reported from the college earlier. This is a newly established medical college with only two batched present so far.

A doctor has been sent on duty from 3 pm to 8 pm and another from 8 pm to 9 am at the men's hostel, whereas two doctors are on duty at the women's hostel in the same time. The principal said, "We had placed boards with telephone numbers of the staff who the students should contact for any need."

Also Read:Panel confirms Ragging at GMC Dharmapuri, 4 MBBS students booked