DEHRADUN: Nine MBBS students at Doon Medical College have faced severe disciplinary action, including suspension and expulsion from the hostel, following a brutal ragging incident involving junior students in January. The swift action underscores a zero-tolerance policy against campus misconduct at the institution.
The penalties were imposed based on the findings of the college’s Anti-Ragging Committee, which investigated allegations of assault stemming from an incident on January 12.
The most stringent sanctions were reserved for two senior students. They have been suspended from classes for two months, expelled from the hostel, and barred from internship activities for the entire duration of their medical course. Furthermore, each has been fined a sum of ₹50,000.
Seven other senior students from the 2023 and 2024 batches also received punishments, facing one-month class suspensions and three-month hostel expulsions.
The case gained national attention after a first-year MBBS student detailed a horrifying ordeal in a written complaint submitted on January 13.
The victim alleged that he was severely beaten with belts and slippers and forcibly had his head shaved by his seniors. He also claimed that he was tortured outside the campus and made to spend the night outdoors.
The college administration reacted immediately after the complaint reached the hostel warden, prompting Principal Dr Geeta Jain to direct the Anti-Ragging Committee to conduct a complete probe.
Dr Jain confirmed the college’s stance following the submission of the inquiry report. “Doon Medical College is a ragging-free campus, and such behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” she stated.
State Health and Medical Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat condemned the incident, calling it “extremely unfortunate”. Speaking to TNIE, he emphasised the gravity of the situation.
“Incidents of ragging in educational institutions raise serious questions about institutional discipline and order, which will not be accepted,” Dr Rawat asserted. He confirmed that he has instructed the Principal to ensure that the action taken “sets an example for the future”.
The Anti-Ragging Committee, headed by Professor Dr Ghazala Rizvi, conducted extensive questioning sessions, recording statements from both the victim and the accused seniors before finalising its report.