Ragging in Berhampur College: Trouble mounts for BJD after details of prime accused surface

The recent incident of ragging at Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur and the subsequent arrest of the prime accused Abhishek Nayak has spelt trouble for the ruling BJD.

On Thursday, the college authorities decided to rusticate 12 students for their alleged involvement in ragging of a boy and a girl student. So far, police have arrested five students, three of whom were produced in a local court while the rest two who are juveniles have been sent to a child welfare home. 

As per reports, prime accused Abhishek was studying in Plus-3 second year and was Biju Chhatra Janata Dal's appointee as the convenor of the Campus Committee of Binayak Acharya College.

Questions have been raised if Abhishek thought he would go scotfree because of the fact that he was an active member of the BCJD. 

Sanatan Sahu, Ganjam district's Yuva Congress president said, "BJD always has regard for goons. All such goons are considered for different positions in the party. The result is right before us today. Before his (Abhishek's) appointment as coordinator (convenor) of the Binayak Acharya campus committee, many cases were pending against him. The BCJD president should immediately resign for choosing such criminals for party positions."

The convenor of Ragging Free Campus Abhiyan Tejeswar Parida blamed the state government for rising menace of ragging. "The first and foremost thing for the state government is to allow the student election to happen. Or else instances of ragging will continue like this. The state government and the education department should be held responsible for what has happened in Binayak Acharya College. The anti-ragging cell is only on pen and paper, function-wise it has zero activity. Why is no action being taken against Principals, wardens and other staff?" questioned Parida. 

The latest viral video of Binayak Acharya college shows a student holding a plastic pipe and asking a junior boy and girl student to act as a couple, and also abusing and thrashing them as a few other college-mates enjoyed watching all this unfold. 

No comments could be obtained from BJD leaders in this regard.

(Reported by Ashok Brahma)