3 students booked for ragging junior in Telangana govt medical college

The student was allegedly made to perform the 'air chair' punishment where a person must squat as if sitting in an invisible chair, holding the position for an extended period. After 30 minutes, he was made to hold a 5 kg LPG cylinder.

Hyderabad: A case has been registered against three students of a government medical college in Nagarkurnool district after a junior student accused them of "ragging", police said on Saturday.

According to the college principal, the incident occurred on March 25 in a hostel room, where the first-year MBBS student was "humiliated" by his seniors. One of them allegedly beat him with a belt and slapped him.

The seniors also demanded his UPI PIN, and when he refused, they beat him again.

Following his complaint, the police registered an FIR against the three seniors, and disciplinary action will also be initiated against them, the principal said.

A meeting of the Anti-Ragging Committee will be held on April 2 regarding the matter, she added.

In his complaint to the police, the junior student stated that on the evening of March 25, one student asked him to come to their hostel room, where three seniors—one third-year and two second-year students—forced him to perform the "air chair" punishment.

The air chair punishment is a physical exercise where a person must squat as if sitting in an invisible chair, holding the position for an extended period After 30 minutes, they made him hold a 5 kg LPG cylinder.

The trio then took his phone, accessed his private chats on an instant messaging app, and opened his phone gallery. Despite his resistance, they viewed his photos and videos, the complaint stated.

He was "ordered" to kneel with his hands up, and when he slightly lowered his hands due to pain, one senior repeatedly beat him with a belt.

The seniors then called his batchmates and "humiliated" him in front of them using his photos and videos, as per the FIR.

One senior also forcibly transferred 34 videos and photos from his phone to his device, it said.

The complainant was allegedly blackmailed, with the seniors threatening to send the photos and videos to his father.

One senior slapped him multiple times, causing bleeding, the complainant stated.

Later, the victim filed a complaint with the police. A case was registered against the three seniors under relevant sections of the BNS and the Telangana Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997, on March 26.

The accused were counselled, police said.