Ragging, beating juniors a norm at MANIT, say 1st, 2nd year students

Students of first and second years at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) in Bhopal have accused senior students of regularly beating them up after consuming alcohol. They have also filed a ragging complaint at the National Anti-Ragging Helpline (NARH) in this regard,

“On the morning of January 8, a group of 3rd year students knocked at the hostel rooms of first and second year students in a drunken state. Then they beat up the students who opened their doors,” said a student requesting anonymity.

“The mass ragging took place on the hostel premises but the administration did not take any action. And this is not the first time something like this has happened; beating up juniors is a common occurrence in the campus,” said another student from second year.

Senior students have reportedly threatened the juniors with ‘dire consequences’ after they filed the complaint at NARH. However, MANIT director, Appu Kuttan said that he was not aware of such complaint being lodged.

In another incident from a few days ago, first year students had lodged complaint with NARH that their seniors had forced them to watch obscene videos and imitate them. Acting on this, Kuttan had asked the senior students to fill a bond of Rs 1 lakh and had suspended them from the hostel.

The recent allegations of violence are now pending before a proctor board.