Date:15/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/15/stories/2005071518900300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Implications of ragging menace highlighted

Staff Reporter

Police Commissioner relates personal experience

VISAKHAPATNAM: "How would you treat a cousin who comes to your house for the first time? Would you ask him or her to undergo a ragging session to know each other better.''

These were questions posed by the Commissioner of Police, V.S.K. Kaumudi, to the students of Andhra University at a campus seminar on the issue of ragging on Thursday. "One need not subject the other to inhuman treatment to know each other. There are civilised ways of introducing one another, and senior students should adopt such healthy means to know their juniors,'' the police chief said.

The seminar was organised in two sessions and was attended by students from the College of Science and Technology in the first batch and students from the College of Arts and Commerce in the second batch. The Vice-Chancellor, L. Venugopal Reddy, was the chief guest the guests of honour were Mr. Kaumudi and the District Superintendent of Police, V.V. Srinivasa Rao.

Personal experience

Making power-point presentations highlighting the legal implications of the menace, the SP gave a personal touch by narrating how he was subjected to ragging at BITS-Pilani. "Ragging has been in vogue as a means of introduction between seniors and freshers, but in most cases it exceeds its limits. There are incidents where it has led to suicide, murder, molestation and even rape. `Ragging,' in criminal parlance, is considered as an act that causes insult, annoyance, fear, apprehension, threat, intimidation, outrage of modesty and injury. And it is punishable under the Indian Penal Code and the AP Prohibition of Ragging Act of 1997,'' he averred.

Abetment of ragging was equally punishable, he said. The list of abettors included principals and teachers of institutions who had refused to take action or had been silent spectators to the incident. ``The powers given to the head of the institution are so enormous that he or she can suspend or dismiss a student simply based on the prima facie evidence,'' he said.

Giving details about what could happen to the academic career of a senior convicted of ragging, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said: "On conviction, the student would be dismissed and if the sentence exceeds six months then he or she would not be able to secure admission in any of the colleges throughout India. The offender would not be able to secure a Government job or a job in any of the public sector undertakings. He or she cannot even go abroad for study or jobs, as police inquiry is a must for issuance of passport.''

The Principal of College of Science and Technology, P. Veerraju, and the Principal of College of Arts and Commerce, J.V. Prabhakara Rao, were present.