Assam student jumps from hostel building after he was allegedly ragged: Police

A post-graduate student in Assam’s Dibrugarh University on Sunday night jumped from the second floor of hostel building after he was allegedly ragged by seniors.

He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a local hospital with severe injuries, reports said.

According to police, the post-graduate student in the commerce department of Dibrugarh University, was assaulted by five seniors on Sunday night.

The students said the boy reportedly jumped from a side-wall of the university’s PNGB Hostel around 10pm.

Fellow students and other staff of the university took the boy to a nearby nursing home and they called the police as well.

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Family members of the boy said he had called his mother on Sunday evening informing her about the assault on him.

“He called us and told us that few students were beating him on the head and other parts of his body. He was terrified and we rushed to the university after getting his call. But before we reached there, he was forced to jump,” the family members claimed.

Dibrugarh SP Shwetank Mishra said based on an FIR lodged by victim’s mother, they have registered a case against five accused.

“We are investigating the matter and the detained accused are being interrogated” he said.

Police said they have recorded the student’s statement. Before going inside the ICU unit, the boy gave a video statement where he said a few months back he lodged a complaint about a ragging incident because of which he was assaulted on Sunday.

His family members however, accused the local police of being ignorant.

“He showed courage to stand up and speak against ragging but both police and university authorities ignored it. If he dies due to this incident, will the police or university take responsibility?”, they alleged.

Responding to the allegations, Mishra said they are looking into that side as well.

“There is an allegation and we will investigate if there was ignorance from our side,” Mishra told HT.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also intervened in the matter and asked both superintendent of police and the deputy commissioner of Dibrugarh to act immediately.

Sarma on Sunday midnight wrote in a tweet, “It has come to notice that a Dibrugarh University student is hurt in an alleged case of ragging. Close watch maintained and follow up action coordinated with district administration. Efforts are on to nab the accused.”

He strongly condemned the act of ragging and said, “I appeal to students, say no to Ragging.”

In March this year, two students of Dibrugarh University, were rusticated by the authorities for four semesters after they allegedly ragged junior students inside the campus.