Ragging leaves Kashmiri medical student injured

Superintendent of police (SP) Lakshman Nimbaragi said that the complaint was filed by the victim, identified as Hamim from Anantnag, Kashmir.

A second-year medical student from Kashmir was allegedly harassed and assaulted by his seniors at Al-Ameen Medical College in Vijayapura district, police said, adding that a probe has been initiated into the matter.

Ragging leaves Kashmiri medical student injured

Superintendent of police (SP) Lakshman Nimbaragi said that the complaint was filed by the victim, identified as Hamim from Anantnag, Kashmir. In the complaint, he said that he was subjected to ragging and physically assault by his seniors from the 2019 batch in the college hostel following an altercation related to a cricket match.

“Based on the victim’s complaint, we have interrogated six students, recorded their statements, and released them. The accused were booked under under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily hurting), 191(2) (rioting), and 189(2) (wrongful assembly),” Nimbaragi said.

Reacting to the matter, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has strongly condemned the incident, calling it a “deeply disturbing case of ragging and targeted harassment”.

Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of JKSA, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the attack. The ordeal began when Hamim, captain of the 2023 batch cricket team, went to watch a match between the 2019 and 2022 batches.

“He was initially ordered by a senior to stay outside the ground and he agreed. However, the situation escalated when the seniors allegedly forced him to leave the area, insisting the match was not for his batch. When he resisted, stating that he had the right to be there, the seniors reportedly began verbally intimidating him,” he said.

“What started as verbal intimidation quickly escalated into bullying. The seniors humiliated him, forcing him to perform an ‘Al-Ameen salute,’ sing songs, and dance. They even attempted to force him into their car, implying further harm. When he refused and tried to record the incident on his phone, their aggression intensified,” he said.

“Later that evening, a group of six-eight students allegedly stormed into Hamim’s hostel room, subjected him to a brutal beating, and forced him to record an apology video under duress. They issued threats: ‘You have four more years here. We are locals — imagine how terrible we can make your life’. They even warned him that he would not be allowed to play cricket for the next four years,” Khuehami added.

The JKSA urged Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah to personally intervene in the matter and ensure justice for the victim. The association demanded the accused students be expelled from the university to set a precedent against ragging.

“Educational institutions should be places of learning and growth, not fear and intimidation. This is not just an isolated case of violence — it is a failure of the system meant to protect students. Immediate legal action must be taken against the perpetrators, and both college authorities and law enforcement must intervene swiftly,” Khuehami pointed out.

The association also emphasised the need for stronger anti-ragging measures to safeguard the rights and safety of students, particularly those from outside Karnataka. “No student should have to endure such trauma in an institution meant to shape their future. The perpetrators must be held accountable to prevent such incidents from recurring.” Authorities at Al-Ameen Medical College have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

“I have spoken to @CMofKarnataka @siddaramaiah ji about this unfortunate incident. He has assured me that the police have filed an FIR & necessary action will be taken. The four accused of perpetrating this ragging/thrashing have been identified,” Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X in response to a post by his party National Conference’s state spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar.

With PTI inputs