Devanahalli police book 22 college students for ragging juniors, attacking staff

Bengaluru: Police have booked 22 college students and one outsider for allegedly ragging their juniors and attacking a staff member.

The Devanahalli police registered an FIR on January 16 following a complaint by Midhun Madhavan, 34, who worked as the head of the admissions department at Akash Group of Institutions in Devanahalli.

Three suspects, Bilal, Mohammed Noushad, and Afsal, all students aged 21-22, have been placed under arrest, while efforts are underway to trace the others, officials said. The arrested have been remanded to judicial custody, police said.

Police stated that the 22 students named in the FIR were studying BPharma, nursing, diploma, health science, Medical Imaging Technology (MIT) and physiotherapy.

The FIR noted that the suspects ragged the first-year students inside the campus and told them to follow their orders.

The aggrieved students reached out to Madhavan and told him that the seniors were making them do tasks like fetching cigarettes, drinks, and carrying their books around. Madhavan told the senior students not to repeat it.

At 5 pm on January 15, the seniors once again issued orders, prompting the juniors to report them to Madhavan. He went to meet the seniors who were in a tea shop behind the college.

Madhavan, along with the junior students, met the seniors around 9 pm.

However, the situation escalated, leading to the senior students assaulting the juniors and Madhavan. The FIR noted that Bilal also took away one of the junior’s 32-gram gold chain.

Naveen, an outsider who was with the seniors, attacked them with rods, stick and stones, while also threatening them, the FIR noted.

Police have booked the suspects under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Karnataka Education Act. A probe is underway.