BERHAMPUR: MKCG Medical College and hospital is in the midst of yet another ragging controversy. This time, three second-year MBBS students have alleged harassment by their seniors.
The parents of the students lodged a complaint with the National Medical Commission (NMC) which asked dean Prof Suchitra Dash to look into the matter. The anti-ragging committee of the college has initiated a probe into the allegations levelled by the second-year students.
Sources said, on their promotion to second year, the students were lodged in separate hostels (no 1, 3 and 4) on the campus recently. However, they informed their parents of being physically and mentally harassed for the last few days prompting the latter to lodge a complaint with the NMC. A copy of the complaint was also forwarded to the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s anti-ragging helpline.
The second year students alleged their seniors allegedly switched off the lights and thrashed them. The seniors also abused them and forced them to dance. Any attempt to resist the act resulted in physical violence by the seniors. Though the ragging incident occurred around 25 days back, the second year students kept mum, the complaint stated.
The committee formed by the dean to probe the allegations visited the hostels on Thursday. After the students remained tight-lipped on the incident, the committee convened a meeting of second year and senior students on Friday to ascertain the truth. Sources said as many as 120 second year students attended the meeting but none complained about ragging despite being assured that their names would be kept confidential.
Prof Dash said several steps have been taken to keep the campus ragging free. She said the complaint filed with NMC has no names, neither of the complainants nor of the seniors. Sources said in the meeting, also attended by PG students, hostel secretaries and students’ union office bearers, none complained of ragging and vehemently denied any such incident. Prof Dash said after the probe, a report would be sent to NMC.
This is the fifth ragging allegation reported from the medical college this year with one complaint being tagged as serious by the University Grants Commission. In February, four senior students were punished for beating up a second year student. While two fourth-year students were barred from entering the campus for two months, two others were instructed to vacate their hostel and skip classes for two weeks over the issue.
“Despite the fear of punishment, ragging continues on the campus due to the apathy of the college administration. Had the hostels been guarded or kept under CCTV surveillance, such incidents would not have gone unnoticed,” said a parent, requesting anonymity.