Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Feb 11: The Mangaluru city police on Thursday February 11 arrested eleven students for their alleged involvement in ragging in a private educational institution in the limits of Ullal police.

The arrested have been identified as Mohammed Shammas, Robin Biju, Alvin Joy, Jabin Mahroof, Jeron Cyril, Mohammed Suraj, Jaffin Roychen, Ashin Babu, Abdul Basith, Abdul Anas Mohammed and Akshay K S.

All of them are natives of Kerala.

It is learnt that the accused had ragged five freshers from Kerala. They allegedly harassed their juniors into cutting their hair, shaving, measuring classroom with matchsticks and so on. Some of the freshers were also physically assaulted, it is alleged.

Speaking to reporters, police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said, "The students who were harassed approached the college management, who in turn filed a police complaint. After interrogating 18 students in this connection, we have arrested 11."

The students have been booked under relevant sections of Education Act and other IPC sections.

They are all students of nursing and physiotherapy, the commissioner said.

Urging educational institutions to be wary of such incidents, the commissioner said, "Education insititutions, authorities, faculty, mentors and councillors should take steps to ensure that such incidents do not repeat in future. Sometime ago, eight students were arrested for ragging in another private college.

"In order to transform the city into Brand Mangaluru, the police will do everything possible to prevent such incidents. The police have zero tolerance for ragging. No student who indulges in ragging will be spared, no matter which college or background," he said.

"If any student is facing such harassment and is hesitant to approach college authorities or faculty, he or she may approach my office to share information," Shashi Kumar said.

He also said that there are several instances of students committing suicide due to ragging. "Fun should not turn to tragedy. Mangaluru is also an educational hub with as many as 8 medical colleges, 12 engineering colleges, 30 professional courses, 900 schools and colleges and 2 lac students, hence, we cannot tolerate such ragging cases. We will take stringent action within the purview of the law," he said.