8 held on charges of ragging in Tirupati

Tirupati, July 18 (TNN):

Even the Supreme Court directed all state governments to constitute committees to look into the incidents of ragging and curb the menace, eight students of the Sri Venkateswara University of Arts and Science College were arrested here on Saturday on charges of ragging.

Eight students, who were studying MCom and MSc second year in  University Arts and Science College, were arrested following a complaint lodged by a MCom first year student with the police alleging that the seniors forced him to drink liquor and asked him to dance in the hostel.

Following the arrest of students on charges of ragging, the University Vice-Chancellor Prabhakara Rao has suspended the eight students and constituted a committee to enquire into the charges leveled by the junior student.

The VC said that the Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering (SVUCE) has been following the policy of ‘isolation’ for almost a decade to keep the seniors under a tight leash, ie, the first year students are housed in separate blocks into which access is denied for others. Not just this, private security guards have been roped in to guard the block 24x7, he added.

The VC further said that two batches of ‘Anti-ragging committees’ formed with a senior professor and two faculty members from the college, to visit the hostel premises everyday and keep a close surveillance.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Mr D Sridhar Babu said that stringent action would be taken against those students who are involved in the ragging.

He said the government would implement Justice Raghavan committee recommendations and the Supreme Court verdict to prevent ragging in all colleges.

The junior students in the college called for a dharna in front of Arts and Science college demanding stringent action against senior students.