A horrific ragging incident has rocked Kerala and the entire country due to its scale of brutality. The incident took place at Government Nursing College in Kottayam where first year students were subjected to physical and mental abuse. They were stripped naked, dumbbells hung from private parts, stabbed with geometry box compasses and beaten bloody for three months.
Unable to bear the harassment any longer, first-year students filed a formal complaint with the Kottayam Gandhinagar police and revealed the violent acts. The arrested students have been identified as Samuel Johnson (20), Rahul Raj (22), Jeev (18), Rijil Jith (20), and Vivek (21).
'Striped naked, injured with sharp objects'
According to the police, the first-year students were forced to stand naked while their seniors hung dumbbells from their private parts. Then they were injured through sharp objects, including a compass from a geometry box. The harassment and brutality did not stop there. Senior students used to apply lotion to victims' wounds, to further aggravate the pain. When the victims screamed in pain, the bottle of lotion was forcibly smeared into their mouths.
On December 13, a first-year student endured extreme physical torture.That night, the accused allegedly entered his room, tied his hands and legs, and restrained him.
They then poured lotion all over his body and inflicted injuries using a divider.They also forced another first-year student in the room to record the incident on a mobile phone.
Seniors were ragging first-year students since November
As per the complaint, the ragging began last November. Senior students also used to extort money from the juniors to alcohol and on refusing, they used to assault the first year students.
As per the college authorities, the accused students have been suspended. The action was taken following an inquiry conducted under the anti-ragging law.
(With PTI inputs)