Last Updated : 07 Feb 2010 08:10:16 AM IST Express News Service
PUDUCHERRY: A First-year student of an arts college, who had immolated himself on Friday allegedly due to ragging, succumbed to burns on Saturday. According to the police, the college principal and three senior students would be taken for questioning. This is the second incident after the Andhra Pradesh ragging case in August last year when four students along with a principal - for inaction - were arrested for ragging a student. Only this time, the victim died. The incident occurred despite the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring ragging a crime and a separate Bill following a committee report on prevention of ragging. The victim’s brother Muthu said Sridhar, a first-year B Com student of Siddhar Sivagnani College of Arts for Men in Bomiyarpalayam, was reportedly abused and ill-treated in public on the pretext of ragging by three senior students. Following this, Sridhar and his father complained to the principal. “The principal had assured them that he would look into the matter and asked Sridhar to attend his classes. But the principal let off the students with only a warning. Angered at Sridhar taking the issue to the principal, the three students continued to abuse Sridhar. Unable to bear the humiliation, he committed suicide,” alleged Muthu. Muthu said Sridhar had called him saying that he had some problems at the college. But before Muthu reached home to meet him, his brother had set himself ablaze. According to police sources, as per the prevention of ragging Bill, the principal was required to report incidents of ragging to the police immediately. The principal of the college Natarajan, was not available for comment. -- Posted By Ragging News to Ragging News From Indian Colleges at 2/07/2010 10:56:00 AM
