Patan: Police in Gujarat’s Patan district have registered an FIR against 15 second-year MBBS students of GMERS Medical College and Hospital, Dharpur, following the death of an 18-year-old first-year student, allegedly due to ragging. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday night when the accused subjected a group of juniors, including the victim, to over three hours of mental and physical harassment in a hostel room, officials stated on Monday.
The accused students have been charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, and use of obscene language.
Incident Details
According to the FIR filed at Balisana police station, the accused summoned 11 first-year students, including the victim, Anil Methaniya, under the pretext of an “introduction.” The juniors were forced to stand for more than three hours while being coerced into singing, dancing, and using abusive words. Methaniya’s health deteriorated during the ordeal, and he fainted around midnight. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
College Actions
The college’s anti-ragging committee, chaired by Dean Dr. Hardik Shah, investigated the matter by recording statements from 26 students (11 from the first year and 15 from the second year). The committee confirmed that the group of second-year students had subjected the first-years to ragging.
In response, the college suspended the accused students from their hostel and academic activities pending further orders.
Legal Proceedings
The FIR was filed based on a complaint from the college’s additional dean, Dr. Anil Bhathija. Authorities are investigating the incident, and strict action is expected against those found guilty.
This tragic incident underscores the persistent issue of ragging in educational institutions, raising concerns about the effectiveness of anti-ragging measures.
