Pune student hospitalised after ragging

Pune: A student of prestigious BJ Medical College in Pune was hospitalised due to renal problem following alleged ragging.

The incident has prompted the college authorities to suspend a senior student on Monday on the basis of a report submitted by a committee that probed the incident.

"Akhilesh Shukla, 17, hailing from Raipur, is on dialysis at Sassoon General Hospital here due to kidney malfunctioning caused by excessive sit-ups forced by a second year MBBS student Nikhlesh Sahu," Dean of the college, V L Yemul, said at a press conference in Pune.

Shukla was admitted to the hospital on August 30.

"The anti-ragging committee of the BJ Medical College, which probed the incident, has found Sahu prima facie responsible for the condition of Shukla. Therefore, besides suspension from the college, Sahu has also been removed from the hostel," Yemul added.

"The college has handed over further investigation into the matter to police, which has already registered an FIR. Whether or not to rusticate Sahu for indulging in ragging now depends on police investigation," he said.

Police have already taken the statement of the victim. Meanwhile, the accused student Sahu, who is from Kanpur, was admitted to private Sancheti Hospital in Pune for some orthopeadic problem, sources said.

Yemul denied that the ragging incident took place because of the lackadaisical attitude of the college authorities.

"The anti-ragging committee regularly takes round and educate students about the problem. The students were often asked to move in groups," he said.

"We have taken a very serious view of the incident, though the victim as well as his parents have asked us to be lenient towards Sahu and do not want his career to be spoilt. As Sahu has been prime facie found to have indulged in ragging, we have to take action against him as per the Anti-Ragging Act. I am not going to listen to the victim's parents. Action has to be taken as per law," he added.

"I have had a talk in this connection with the Secretary of Medical Education, Maharashtra government, and the latter has suggested action, which we have taken within 24 hours of the incident coming to our notice," the Dean pointed out.

Asked whether any other B J Medical College student has been victim of ragging and had to be admitted to any hospital, Yemul said there has been only one incident of this type since the college opened after vacation.

Questioned about suicide by a BJ Medical College student at Sangamaner in neighbouring Ahmednagar district on Sunday, he clarified that it was not a ragging case.

"This (suicide) has nothing to do with ragging. He (the victim Rahul) was a senior student just been through with his exams for the fourth term. He committed suicide owing to some personal problems," the Dean added.