‘Ragging’ in Odisha College: Victim girl student approaches SME Minister, seeks justice

A Plus 3 second year student of Nimapara Autonomous College on Saturday approached the School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash after being allegedly subjected to ragging by senior students of the college for the last three months.

According to the allegations levelled by Rojalin Biswal against her seniors of girls’ hostel, she was meted out mental harassment by her seniors at girls’ hostel. Besides, she has accused her seniors of circulating her number to their boyfriends who used to call her from different numbers and used derogatory remarks for her.

When she wanted to leave hostel, she was not allowed to take her books and other belongings. 

Though she brought the matter to the notice of hostel warden, her compliant was allegedly not heard. She even reportedly informed the college authorities about how she was being subjected to ragging, but in vain. 

That’s not all. She filed a complaint with Nimapara police. However, her efforts did not yield positive results as police allegedly kept mum on the issue.

Finding no other go, she approached Minister Dash with the help of the Utkal Student Association seeking his intervention into the matter.

Assuring the victim of justice, Dash reportedly asked the girl student not to file complaint against the boys who used to misbehave with her over phone. 

Tanmay Swain, member of Mo College Governing Body, said, “Ragging is completely prohibited in higher education institutions for which students are made to write an undertaking in this regard during admission. Also, anti-ragging cells are being made operational at educational institutions as part of measures to avoid recurrence of ragging related incidents.” 

“A special team should be formed to investigate the matter. She should bring it to the notice of the college principal who can resolve the issue,” Swain said. 

Sulagna Patnaik, superintendent of the girls’ hostel, said, “We are looking after each and every problem of the girls at the hostel. The authorities concerned should sort out the issue so that study of students would not be affected.”

Reported by Kapilendra Pradhan, OTV