Pune : Three second-year postgraduate (PG) students from the orthopaedic department of B.J. Medical College (BJMC), Pune, have been suspended for allegedly ragging four junior doctors in the college hostel, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The ragging incident came to light after the parents of one of the affected students lodged a complaint with the Maharashtra state secretariat (Mantralaya), prompting the formation of a new anti-ragging committee at BJMC on Monday. The four junior doctors had joined the orthopaedic department just two months ago.
BJMC Dean Dr. Eknath Pawar said, “Based on the findings of the committee, the three PG students were suspended for six months and removed from the hostel. Further investigations are ongoing, and strict action will be taken based on the final report.”
The committee recorded statements from the junior doctors, the accused seniors, and their parents on Tuesday. Meanwhile, one of the junior doctors’ mothers also filed a complaint with the National Medical Commission (NMC), alleging mental harassment and verbal and physical abuse.
Dr. Pawar clarified that no evidence of physical abuse had emerged so far and, therefore, the police had not been involved.
In an administrative shake-up following the incident, the head of the orthopaedic department, Dr. Girish Bartakke, has been replaced by Dr. Shrinivas Shintre. As Dr. Shintre is currently on leave, Dr. Rahul Puranik will serve as interim head. Dr. Bartakke, who also held the post of PG dean, has been replaced by Dr. Rajesh Karyakarta, head of the microbiology department.
The incident comes a year after two female PG students from the radiology and anaesthesiology departments had also reported ragging, though an internal inquiry had later termed those cases as “minor disagreements.”
