MADURAI: After 19 second year MBBS students of Madurai Medical College were suspended for six months on September 3 on charges of ragging, the Anti-Ragging Committee at the college which convened for the second time on Thursday is likely to reduce the punishment period.
On August 30, a complaint of ragging was lodged with the Anti-Ragging Cell (New Delhi) about incidents of ragging by the second year MBBS students at the men’s hostel ‘Rock Shade’ within the college premises. Acting on it, a discreet inquiry was held by the college Dean Dr D Maruthupandian on August 31 where all first-year students were questioned and had anonymously given written statements about the incident.
On September 1, based on the CCTV footage, the Anti-Ragging Committee of the college confirmed that 19 second year MBBS students trespassed into the secluded block meant for first-year students. Based on the written complaints from freshers, the Committee concluded that the senior students ‘verbally’ ragged the juniors by ‘instructing’ them to roll up their shirt sleeves, to sleep dressed in formals only, not to lock their mobile phones using any password, to salute them every time they passed by.
Taking forward the recommendations of the Anti-Ragging Committee, Madurai Medical College, on September 3, suspended 19 students for six months from college and for one year from college hostel, with immediate effect. The college reopened for the second year students on October 1 after the semester holidays that began on August 30.
This being, the Dean received appeals of consideration over the period of suspension from the parents of the suspended students. “While none pleaded not guilty, the parents had only appealed requesting to reconsider the period of suspension from the college.
So, on Thursday morning, about 50 of the affected first-year students were individually asked of their opinion on reducing the suspension period and surprisingly, all of them opined that the punishment term be reduced since the seniors have now become friends with them,” said Dr D Maruthupandian.
The Anti-Ragging Committee was then convened at the college for the second time, during which it was decided to call the parents of all the 19 suspended students to appear before the Dean on Monday, to know their willingness to give an undertaking that their wards will not indulge in a similar act in future.