KOCHI: A first-year degree student of Maharaja’s College was allegedly subjected to a 12-hour ‘ragging’ by a 15-member gang at the men’s hostel. According to a complaint lodged with Principal Mathew George, BA Malayalam student Robinson from Malappuram was subjected to ragging after he was locked up in a room overnight by a gang led by the SFI unit secretary.
The complaint was later handed over to the police and the anti-ragging cell of the college. On Monday, the Ernakulam Central Police registered a case against seven persons. Robinson, who is also an SFI activist, had expressed unwillingness to take part in the organisation’s fund collection drive as he had to attend the NCC training. That had allegedly provoked the assailants, the petition said. The victim, who sustained injuries, was admitted to a private hospital in the city.
The complaint said a section of first-year students invited Robinson to the hostel on March 12 citing that a room was vacant. He had been staying at a rented house in Mulavukadu along with his friends as a hostel room was unavailable. When he arrived at the hostel by evening, a gang under the SFI unit secretary was waiting. They took him to the third floor and locked him up and attacked, the complaint said.
“He was then shifted to another room. The assailants released him the next day by 11am. The gang threatened to arraign him in a sexual abuse case if he complains against them. His friends took him to a hospital later,” said a police officer.An inquiry is on, he added.