Bengaluru College Ragging Incident Leads to Multiple Arrests and Notices
In a disturbing case of campus violence, three students from a private college in Devanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, have been arrested, while notices have been issued to nineteen other students and one outsider. The arrests and notices are connected to allegations of severe ragging and physical assault targeting junior students and college staff members.
Police Action and Judicial Custody
A senior officer from the Devanahalli police confirmed that the three arrested students have been sent to judicial custody. Notices have been formally issued to the remaining individuals named in the First Information Report (FIR). The police are continuing their investigation, with further actions, including potential additional arrests, dependent on the evidence gathered and video verification.
Details of the Complaint and Incident
The FIR was registered on January 16, following a complaint lodged by Midhun Madhavan, aged 34, who heads admissions at the Aakash Group of Institutions. According to the complaint, senior students at the college had been engaging in harassment and intimidation of junior students for nearly two days. The seniors allegedly forced the juniors to bring cigarettes and beverages, among other forms of bullying.
Despite repeated warnings from college authorities, the ragging persisted. On January 15, around 5 PM, the situation escalated when two junior students were assaulted after refusing to comply with the seniors' demands. Later that evening, when the complainant and several others went to confront the seniors near a tea stall behind the college on Baichapur Road, the confrontation turned violent.
Violent Escalation and Injuries
The police reported that the accused students and the outsider became violent, vandalizing a car and assaulting the complainant and others using iron rods, sticks, and stones. Additionally, a gold chain was snatched during the altercation. The accused are also said to have threatened the junior students. Several individuals sustained injuries in the incident, with the police noting that the victims are minors.
CCTV Evidence and Legal Charges
The incident was reportedly captured on CCTV cameras installed nearby. The police have seized the video footage and are currently verifying its contents to support their case. The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- 115(2) for the offence of voluntarily causing hurt
- 118(1) for voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means
- 119(1) for voluntarily causing hurt to extort from the victim
- 324(4) for mischief
- 324(5) for voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons by a group
- 351(2) for criminal intimidation
- 190 for holding every member of an unlawful assembly liable for offences committed in furtherance of a common object
Relevant sections of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, have also been invoked in the case.
Ongoing Investigation and Implications
This incident highlights serious concerns about ragging and campus safety in educational institutions. The police are actively investigating the matter, with the video footage playing a crucial role in determining the extent of the violence and identifying all perpetrators. The case underscores the need for stricter enforcement of anti-ragging laws and better protection for students in college environments.
