Twenty-one students from the nursing school of the Stanley Medical College in north Chennai were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly ragging their first year juniors. It was alleged that the juniors were asked to shave off their moustaches, dress up as women and were also shown obscene videos. The dean of Stanley Medical College, Dr Mustaq Ahmed Khan said that the students were warned of strict action if they were caught ragging their juniors. He said that as soon as the management received the complaint, a three-member committee was formed to investigate the alleged ragging.
But when the parents of the 21 accused students failed to appear before the committee after being summoned, the management decided to suspend the students, the dean said. “Suspension is just the first step for the students to realise their mistake and in future if the students are involved in any such activity they will be dismissed he said adding that the matter had been taken up with the state government and the office of the Director of Medical Education.
He said that a final verdict on the fate of the students would be arrived at after consultations with the authorities. According to laws operating in the state, a student accused of ragging shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of two years and shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 10,000/-. The law also states that any student convicted for ragging shall be dismissed from the educational institution and he shall not be admitted in any other educational institution.
