3 BJ Medical College Ahmedabad orthopaedic medicos suspended for allegedly ragging juniors

Ahmedabad: A total of three second year postgrduate medico from the orthopaedic department of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad have been suspended after being found guilty of allegedly ragging first year PG students.

According to an order issued by the Gujarat Health Department on Wednesday, one of the second-year PG students has been suspended for one year, while the other two have been suspended for six months each.

The action was taken following an inquiry by the college's Anti-Ragging Committee into an anonymous complaint alleging mental and physical harassment of junior resident doctors.

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On June 8, the medical college received an anonymous complaint against the senior doctors. The complaint alleged that senior PG students in the orthopaedic department were mentally and physically harassing the first-year resident students. Copies of the complaint were also reportedly sent to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Based on the complaint, the college's 20-member Anti-Ragging Committee conducted an inquiry. The Committee took statements of all first, second and third year resident students of the department.

A senior Health Department official said, "A medical board of all 17 first-year resident students of the orthopaedic department was conducted. The committee found that three were involved in ragging and thus suggested the punishment in the form of suspension ranging between six months and one year."

"Based on a report given by the anti-ragging committee in response to the complaint of ragging of the first-year resident students of the Orthopaedic Department of your institution, a proposal has been received by this office to ratify the punishment mentioned against the three second-year residents of the Orthopaedic Department. The punishment imposed on the said three second-year residents by the Anti-Ragging Committee of BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad, as mentioned above, is hereby confirmed," the order mentioned.

Commenting on this, Health Minister Praful Pansheriya told Indian Express, "The complaint of ragging has been taken seriously. Strict action has been taken against the three students involved. The Gujarat government and the Health Department are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and fear-free educational environment for students."

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