CHENNAI: Six final-year MBBS students of the Madras Medical College (MMC) were suspended on Saturday for allegedly ragging their juniors inside the men’s hostel. As per sources, a complaint was received from one of the junior students (from the 2022 batch) claiming he had suffered physical and mental abuse.
A preliminary inquiry was conducted by a committee comprising Dr K Shantaraman, dean, MMC; Dr J Sreevidya, vice principal and Dr Senthilkumar, warden (men’s hostel) on December 15. Based on this, the six students were suspended until further orders.
In the suspension order, the management said that it was evident from the preliminary inquiry that prima facie there was evidence that the six final-year students called for a meeting of kabaddi players of the 2022-23 batch in a hostel room without the authorisation of the sports committee or warden between 9 pm on December 14 and 3 am the next day.
As per the statement of the six seniors, about 20 juniors were asked to come to the room to discuss a kabaddi match. The order said the seniors did not have locus standi to call such a meeting at that time of the night. A quarrel allegedly broke out between the two groups during the meeting.
One student was reportedly called to the room around 1.30 am and was asked to kneel for a short period, the order said, adding that no evidence of physical assault was found in the room. Following this, the student left the college premises. Police sources said that the hostel warden lodged a missing complaint with the Chintadripet police, who later traced him to his native residence in Vellore. Police said the student left to Vellore without informing anyone as he was distressed after the incident. However, Dr Shantaraman, confirming the suspension order, said that the quarrel between the students was regarding Kabbadi, and there was no ragging involved.