Last June, Banwari Lal Patel’s 16-year-old daughter had to leave Bhilai’s Yugchetna Public School after she became a victim of ragging. At the school hostel, seniors had poured tomato ketchup in her ear.

The school never accepted her story. Now, the state consumer redressal commission has held that ragging had indeed taken place has ordered the school return the girl’s fees — Rs. 28,462. “It was the responsibility of the school to protect the student,” the commission said.

“The principal didn’t heed my daughter’s complaint. She was not even taken to a doctor when her ear got infected,” said Banwari Lal.

Later, Patel, a farmer, pleaded that the school return the fees. But the school claimed the girl had left as she could not adjust to the English milieu.