Kottayam ragging: Opposition UDF alleges SFI links to accused, govt promises strict action

Kottayam: The Congress-led opposition UDF on Friday claimed that the accused in the Kottayam Government Nursing College ragging case have connections with the Left student organisation, SFI.

Speaking to reporters, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan alleged that the accused in the Kottayam ragging case are members of SFI and that the Kerala Government Nursing Students Association (KGNSA) has links with the Left-affiliated student organisation.

However, Higher Education Minister R Bindu stated that stringent action would be initiated against the accused in the Kottayam ragging incident.

"Everyone knows they are SFI activists, yet they are now denying it," Satheesan said.

There have been allegations that the accused are associated with KGNSA, a pro-Left outfit and that one of them holds a key position in the organisation. However, SFI has refuted these claims, asserting that it has no connection with the accused.

Taking a swipe at SFI, Satheesan also alleged that its leaders and members were involved in the death of a student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad, last year allegedly due to ragging.

"In the Pookode ragging case, SFI members were accused, yet they were allowed to appear for exams, and the only ones who suffered were the victim’s family," he said, adding that such incidents should not be repeated.

Minister Bindu stated that the government has directed authorities to take stringent action in the incident and they would get maximum punishment in the case.

She added that since the incident occurred at an institution under the Kerala University of Health Sciences, there are limitations to direct intervention.

The minister also highlighted the increasing prevalence of behavioural disorders among children and stressed the need for collective societal efforts to address the issue.

Meanwhile, a team appointed by the Director of Medical Education will visit the college to conduct an inquiry. The probe will be led by the Deputy Director of Nursing Education, sources said.

On Friday, KSU workers took out a march to Kottayam Government Nursing College, demanding strict action against the accused. ABVP also announced a protest march.

Earlier, disturbing visuals of the brutal ragging of a junior student at the Government Nursing College surfaced on Thursday, showing the victim being tied to a cot and his body repeatedly pierced with a compass.

According to footage received by the Gandhinagar police, the victim was stripped half-naked and subjected to horrifying acts, including having dumbbells placed on his private parts after being tied to a cot and having facial cream poured into his mouth.

The abuse took place in the boys' hostel targeting first-year nursing students.

Five third-year students, identified as Samuel Johnson (20), Rahul Raj (22), Jeev (18), Rijil Jith (20), and Vivek (21) were arrested in the case.

They were arrested after a case was registered under the Prohibition of Ragging Act, following a complaint that ragging had been ongoing for nearly three months at the nursing institute, which operates under the Government Medical College.

The accused have also been booked under Sections 118(1) (intentionally causing hurt using dangerous weapons or means), 308(2) (punishment for extortion), and 351(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the police said.

The arrested are currently in the district jail after being remanded by a court here.

According to the complaint, the ragging began in November last year.

The complaint also stated that senior students regularly extorted money from juniors on Sundays to buy alcohol and frequently assaulted them.