LUCKNOW: After remaining in denial mode for four days, the Saifai Medical University rushed to act against seven students of the senior batch of MBBS accused of ragging newcomers on campus on Friday.
In a swift action, a 12-member committee was set up by university authorities to probe the issue. The panel, in its report, submitted to Vice-Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar on Thursday evening, held seven students of 2018 batch guilty of ragging the fresh batch recommending their immediate suspension from classes and hostel for a month. It also recommended imposition of a fine of Rs 25,000 each on seven accused. Moreover, a penalty of Rs 5,000 would also be imposed on all other students of 2018 batch.
However, in a parallel major development, UP CM Yogi Adityanath summoned the V-C of the medical university to Lucknow on Friday evening seeking an explanation as to why he, university registrar and other officials kept the government in dark when inquired about the incident.
As per the highly placed sources, the medical university authorities, including the V-C had initially denied that any incident of ragging had taken place on campus. The V-C as on his way state capital while filing the report.
Meanwhile, the 12-member panel was set up swiftly only after Medical Council of India (MCI) served a show-cause notice on the Vice-Chancellor of medical university, on Thursday, over the alleged incident of ragging of 150 first-year MBBS students. The seniors had made the entire fresh batch get their heads tonsured and salute them.
The MCI, in its notice, also warned the university of a Rs 1.5-crore penalty if it failed to respond to the show-cause notice within 24 hours.
Now the university administration is also contemplating to get an FIR registered against the seven culprits. Earlier, a day after the ragging incident, the V-C had tried to laugh it away calling it part of ‘sanskar’ (ritual) which should be taken sportingly.
Meanwhile, the existing anti-ragging committee on the campus was dissolved with immediate effect. Referring to media reports, the MCI took cognizance of the incident and sent the notice to the V-C accusing the university authorities of failing completely in addressing the menace of ragging on campus. The MCI also threatened to declare the institute ineligible for any increase in seats or for starting any new course for a period of one year, which could be extended for a period “commensurate with the wrong”.
Meanwhile, the state government also moved and the principal secretary (medical education) set up a three-member committee to probe the incident following a report submitted by Etawah DM on the incident.
While University registrar SC Sharma confirmed receiving the MCI notice, which is in possession of the newspaper, saying a reply was sent to the council on Thursday itself.
He clarified that university administration had also set up a 12-member team comprising a cop, a journalist and a tehsildar, to conduct an inquiry into the incident. “The inquiry will be completed by tomorrow noon and its outcome will be sent to the government and the authorities concerned,” he said.