One of the arrested, Soven Sibhoi, has been identified as the son of ex-MLA of Titlagarh. Later, police arrested Soven's friend Banasankar Das who was also involved in the incident.
The duo had allegedly ragged and injured a first year student after which a complaint was lodged against them.
"A case was registered following the incident. We have arrested two students and they are being interrogated. Strict action will be taken against those responsible," said Satyabrata Bhoi, Bhubaneswar DCP.
Protesting the humiliation, the students on Monday, gheraoed the District Collector’s office demanding strict action against the third year students.
The students further demanded action against the college authorities and accused them of ignoring their complaints lodged earlier.
Later, a memorandum was submitted to the Collector in the matter.
According to the complaint, the first year students have alleged that the seniors have been severely beating, torturing and threatening them in various ways.
However, the college authorities and the District Collector could not be contacted over the issue.
The Commission has asked them to submit a report in this regard by October 11, 2019, further directing for a response on why such activities shall not be treated as criminal and why the students involved in ragging should not be penalized under the criminal law.
The OHRC directive is based on a petition filed by the convener and members of the Ragging Free Campus Abhiyan in Bhubaneswar, that mentioned a few news items disclosing rigorous ragging in some educational institutions culminating in physical and psychological injuries to the freshers.
The complainants also alleged that though the State Government has framed rules and guidelines to curb ragging-related activities, implementation of the same is far from over.
The petitioners further urged, "The Home Department is requested to enlighten us regarding the guidelines framed and whether periodical monitoring is done to ensure that the same is implemented and whether the State government has created a State Anti-Ragging Helpline as done by the Government of India following the Supreme Court order to help the victims and take action in case of ragging by informing the Head of the institutions and local police authorities."