Kerala ragging horror: Dumbbells hung from private parts, compass injuries at nursing college in Kottayam

Kerala ragging: As per the complaint, registered under the Anti-Ragging Act, the ragging began in November 2024 had been going on at the institute since then.

Kerala ragging case: A horrifying case of ragging has come to light from a government nursing college in Kerala's Kottayam, with first-year students being forced to strip naked and tortured with the use of dumbbells.

The complainants were also forced to apply lotion to the inflicted wounds to cause them further pain. (Representative Image/Shutterstock)

Police said five third-year nursing students were arrested for the alleged ragging, adding that a case against them was registered after three first-year students lodged a complaint, a news agency PTI reported.

As per the complaint, registered under the Anti-Ragging Act, the ragging began in November 2024 and had been going on at the institute since then.

Forced to apply lotion to wounds

The victims detailed the series of violent acts the seniors inflicted on them, stating that the latter forced them to stand naked and then hung dumbbells, meant for weightlifting, from their private parts.

The complainants alleged that the third-year students also inflicted other serious injuries on them using compasses and similar objects, after which they would force them to apply lotion on the wounds to induce further pain.

The complaint also mentioned that the students were forced to have cream applied to their faces and hands and smeared into their mouths. Reportedly, the seniors threatened the complainants of critical consequences if they chose to speak up about the abuse.

On top of all this, the complaint also stated that the senior students consistently extorted money from the juniors on Sundays to purchase alcohol, following which they assaulted them.

The situation grew unbearable for them, and the three of them lodged a complaint with the Kottayam Gandhinagar police. The five arrested third-year students will likely be produced before a court on Wednesday afternoon.

This comes just weeks after a 14-year-old boy in Kochi allegedly died by suicide, which, according to his family, happened due to ragging at his school. Kerala general education minister V Sivankutty directed the Director of Education (DGE) to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the same.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the tragic loss of a student to suicide due to bullying and said that no child should have to endure it. "Bullying isn't harmless; it destroys lives. Parents must teach kindness, love, empathy, and the courage to speak up. Believe your child if they say they're being bullied, and intervene if they are the bully," Gandhi said.

(With PTI inputs)