TV
A second-year student at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) has brought serious allegations of ragging at the prestigious institute in Burla. The student claimed that he was subjected to verbal abuse and physical harassment by senior students.
The matter came to the fore after he informed his mother who reported the matter directly to Professor Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, the Dean of VIMSAR, in a telephone conversation. In response, a committee has been constituted to scrutinise the allegations. Professor Mohanty assured that necessary actions would be pursued based on the committee's findings.
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“A mother of a second-year student had called us and alleged that her son was manhandled and abused using filthy language by a few students. A committee was soon formed to probe the matter. The committee is now probing to find the authenticity of the allegations. Necessary action will be taken after the findings of the committee,” informed Professor Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, Dean, VIMSAR.
As the investigation proceeds, a formal written complaint is yet to be filed although an oral complaint has been made. At present, there has been no response from either the victim or those accused.
Worth mentioning, VIMSAR hit the headlines in March 2021, after the premier institute faced a significant ragging incident involving 18 MBBS students. The anti-ragging committee of the institution conducted an investigation, resulting in the students being fined a total of Rs 54,000 for their involvement in ragging junior students.
In another case from September 2019, an alleged ragging incident at VIMSAR was later determined to be a brawl between two student groups.
Meanwhile, VIMSAR has outlined a range of punishments for students found guilty of ragging, including suspension from classes, withholding of scholarships, debarment from examinations, and even expulsion from the institution. Fines can range from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh. The institution has also implemented a system for students to report ragging incidents, emphasizing that freshers who do not report such incidents, either as victims or witnesses, may also face punishment.
