Dalit student critical after being forced to consume toilet cleaner in Karnataka

Kozhikode: A Dalit nursing student from Malappuram district, studying at a Bengaluru college, has been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with serious health problems, after she was ragged by senior students.

According to a report, 19-year-old Aswathi, a first-semester nursing student at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, has been admitted to hospital with severe stomach problems after being forced to drink toilet cleaner.

Read: Dalit girl gangraped for three nights in Karnataka

Aswathi was allegedly ragged by senior girl students at the women’s hostel of the college on May 9 and made to drink toilet cleaner. The offenders are also students from Kerala.

Five days after the incident, the girl’s condition worsened and she was sent home by the authorities along with another student.

She was taken to Thrissur Medical College Hospital by her relatives and after two day long treatment there she was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2. At KMCH, she was advised to undergo a major surgery as the toilet cleaner has damaged a major portion of her gullet.

However, the surgery could not be carried out at KMCH and hence the girl was shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode. But the hospital advised a six-month treatment before surgery, which was financially impossible for the poor family. Hence, Aswathi was moved back to KMCH.

Aswathi, who belongs to a poor family, joined the college five months ago after taking an education loan from Kerala Gramin Bank (KGB). Her uncle has alleged that she was being ragged since Day 1. The relatives have also claimed that neither the college nor the police authorities in Bengaluru have taken any action against those responsible for the ragging.

The girl’s maid has already approached Kerala CM Pinarayi Viajayan and Director General of Police, Bengaluru, demanding strong action against the culprits.