Telangana: 7 students of Kakatiya Medical College booked for ragging

WARANGAL: Seven third year MBBS students of Kakatiya Medical College (KMC), Warangal, have been booked for allegedly ragging a second year student and severely beating him for not falling in line. Though the college management denied the ragging claims and maintained that it was a clash between two rival groups on campus, police have booked a case against the students and started an inquiry.It is the second ragging incident reported from a medical college in the state in less than 10 days. Incidentally, it is also the second case of ragging reported from KMC this year.The KMC case comes close on the heels of a similar ragging incident at Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad, where 10 students were suspended for a year after a group of freshers wrote to UGC complaining about being ragged on the campus. The first year students alleged that they were forced to consume alcohol, smoke and even strip.The Warangal police said that the seven KMC students have been booked under Sections 294 (b), 323, 340 of the IPC and the Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997. While the incident came to light on Sunday, the victim's complaint states that the alleged offence took place on September 14 on the KMC campus."The second year student from Rajasthan approached the Mattewada police on September 15. According to the victim, he was initially ragged by a group of seniors," ACP Warangal, B Kishan said. Anti-ragging committee calls meet with student groups on September 19 He added, "But when he did not oblige, they got enraged and beat him up badly. We have registered a case against all the accused. Even the college management is conducting an inquiry." Speaking to the media, KMC principal Dr D Mohan Das admitted that investigation was underway, but insisted that it wasn't a case of ragging. "The senior students beat the junior during a clash between the groups. However, the anti-ragging committee has taken note of the incident and called the student groups for a meeting on September 19 to get more clarity. After discussing all issues, we will take a call on what punishment to be given to the students involved," he said. The principal also stated that the college informed the parents of the seven students and directed them to meet him to discuss the matter. In February, a first year post-graduate student of KMC, Dr Preeti Dharawath, attempted suicide after she was allegedly ragged and harassed by a course senior, Dr MA Saif Ali. The victim later succumbed at the hospital. Police have filed a chargesheet in the case. The Telangana HC recently directed KMC to re-evaluate the suspension of Dr Saif, after he approached the court claiming that he was not given an opportunity to defend himself.