CHENNAI: An internal inquiry is underway at the Government Medical College in Omandurar Estate after first-year students were allegedly beaten up by seniors when they resisted ragging. Senior girls forced juniors to speak, over the phone, to boys on their Facebook list. If they didn’t do so, they were paraded around the hostel with shoes over their heads, a first-year student alleged.
The incident came to light after some students wrote to the University Grants Commission (UGC) at around midnight on Thursday, (reportedly, minutes after they were ragged) requesting to shift due to a fear of further harassment.
Subsequently, the anti-ragging wing under the commission instructed the institutional head to take action and file an FIR within 24 hours based on the recommendation of the local authorities.
In the official communication sent to the college on Thursday (a copy of which is available with Express), the commission requested the vice-principal to identify and counsel the victims so they feel safe and know that authorities will take necessary action.
Vice-principal Dr Jayanthi confirmed to this newspaper that they have received communication and have immediately taken action. “In the committee’s observation, nothing serious has emerged and the allegations were minimal, like being sent to shops etc,” she said.
Responding to the question on girls being forced to make calls to senior boys, she said: “It was brought to our notice. We are talking to the first-year students one by one. We have asked them to write down whatever happened. Their identities would be kept anonymous”.
One of the first-year students said: “They threatened us into do demeaning work and beat us up when we refused.” She claimed this was not the first time and added first-year students were under constant fear in the hostel and college premises.
Nearly 20 second-year MBBS students were called for enquiry in connection with the incident and the process is still ongoing.
2,595
Total complaints received across India since 2009
2,475
Number of complaints closed
30
Complaints active in call centre
30
Complaints active in monitoring agency
48
Complaints active in University Grants Commission
22
Complaints active in various regulatory authorities