Kolkata:
Two first year students of the Marine Engineering College in Kolkata have left the institution complaining of severe ragging. Two senior students have been suspended in this connection; however, college authorities insist the complaints are exaggerated.
Amir Sohail and Vaanchit Kundlia, the two two student who complained, say that ever since they joined college on August 7, they were made to stand for hours in the hot sun, ordered to hop endlessly and were verbally abused. On Friday, they filed police complaints of ragging and quit the college.
Amir, who is from Lucknow, said, "On the second night, the seniors called a roll call of freshers. I was a few seconds late so they made me hop. Next day, too, after breakfast, a senior said, start hopping, do push ups. Then, in front of me, they slapped some of my friends. All this happened in front of the warden and director but no one said anything."
"The seniors also said, now is an anti-ragging period. But when you come back after the Durga Pujas, see what we do to you," Vaanchit, who is from Dehradun, said. The two alleged that ragging is rampant in the institute.
The father of one of the students called up the anti-ragging cell of the UGC in Delhi and complained. The anti-ragging cell called up the college after which two senior students were temporarily suspended.
The director insisted there was no ragging. "There isn't much truth in it. The complaints are exaggerated because here my anti-ragging set up is in place," MK Ghosh said. "It is more likely the boys could not handle the discipline of the college which is demanding."
When asked about the seniors who were suspended, he said, "Since they complained to UGC, we have to take steps. So they have been suspended pending enquiry. Once the enquiry is complete, we will see what is to be done."