Student sodomised in the name of ragging at Marwardi University in Rajkot

Despite stringent laws against ragging, some students, who are supposed to study, are indulging in ragging throwing norms into the wind. A fresh incident of the inhuman act in the name of ragging came to the fore at Marwadi University in Gujarat.

Rajkot (Gujarat):A gruesome incident of ragging came to light at Marwadi University in Rajkot. A 19-year-old student of Porbandar was sodomized by five students threatening him with a nude video of bathing. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's father, police registered a case and apprehended three students out of five.

According to the police, the victim's father approached the Kuvadva Road police station with a complaint on October 20 stating that his son broke down and narrated what he was going through. The student's father further stated that his son contacted his other son two days ago and pleaded that he did not want to stay in the hostel.

He said, "My son sensed trouble and both of us went to university on Thursday. When we met up with him, he broke down and narrated the ordeal of how he was being harassed in the name of ragging by hostel mates."

In the complaint, it was revealed that three students recorded his nude video while he was taking a bath in September. They threatened him that they will circulate the video on social media if he did not follow their directions. Four of the accused then gave him a few options, "Chop his genitals, chop his ears or jump from the hostel's terrace." When the student refused and wept inconsolably. Then the accused gave another option.

According to the FIR, the accused made him undress and applied sanitizer, honey, and powder on his anus. Then they inserted a pencil and toothbrush into the anus and the torture continued for three hours.

Naresh Jadeja, Registrar of Marwari University said, "The victim is a student of BBA first semester and in the registered complaint, the victim has alleged that five students including three from BBA third semester and two from engineering."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-1) Sajjansinh Parmar said the five students have been booked under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342 (wrongful confinement) 506, 114, IT Act against five students. "Dev Paresh Ratinga, a resident of Upleta, Kuchit Sindhav, Vasu Chaniyara, Hardeep Khachar of Paliyad, and a minor," he added.

Meanwhile, student leader and Congress spokesperson Rohitsinh Rajput slammed the management of Marwari University and said that all universities and colleges must have anti-ragging committees and awareness programs should be conducted to make students aware of all the laws and rules so that no one becomes a victim of ragging. But no such awareness program has ever taken place.

"We will present this matter to the university management and form a special committee regarding this case and demand strict action against the accused students and try to bring justice to the victimized student," he added