Cochin University of Science and Technology suspends Mohamed Sherin raggers'

Kochi: The Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) vice-chancellor Dr J. Letha has directed the registrar to suspend the persons named by the BTech student Mohamed Sherin who attempted suicide alleging ragging by seniors belonging to SFI on the campus. “This will be done pending a detailed enquiry into the incident by a panel based on which the final action will be taken. Sherin had alleged that he was beaten in front of faculty members, which was not immediately confirmed by the faculty members. However, immediate action will be taken since it is an allegation of ragging, based on the deposition of the student,” said Dr Letha.

She said the campus had been largely free from ragging and since very few cases are reported, the university has not been on an overdrive against it including initiating preventive measures. She said that the varsity hostels have security and manager, but the wardens do not stay there. “There are cases where the students withdraw ragging complaints soon after they file. But since they are ragging cases we still hold inquiries and take action,” she said.

She said that the varsity had been proactive in its approach vis-a-vis ragging and instituted the necessary committees and spread awareness among students also. “Sometimes information wouldn’t be easily coming in such cases, and in other cases, there could be allegations of ragging whereas the real reason is something else," she said.

Meanwhile, Kalamassery circle inspector S. Jayakrishnan said Cusat had still not given any report to the police regarding the incident which led to the attempted suicide, and hence further police action is delayed, other than registering cases against four SFI activists Sajad, Dinoj, Mausim and Amalraj in the case. The university had appointed a four-member faculty panel to probe the incident.

Torturers rule the roost in science varsity

The students of Cochin University of Science of Technology say that ragging has been going on in  the varsity hostels  which are controlled by SFI activists. “Because of this,  freshers  prefer to stay in private hostels. The first-year students of the School of Engineering  are not given hostel facility by the varsity  which is a pointer to the state of affairs in the light of the suicide attempt made by BTech student Mohammed Sherin  over ragging the other day,” said KSU unit president Sidharth O. Nair.

“There are instances when the students staying in private hostels are ordered  to come to the varsity hostels by these seniors and are subjected to ragging. But such things hardly come to light as students fear problems for their further study on the campus,” said Sidharth.   There is no security and no warden at the boys’ hostel which make  ragging easy.

The students who dare to lodge complaints in this regard mostly withdraw them later because of the threats  from the ragging gangs. “The university which has been focusing on securing the NAAC top grade had conducted awareness classes on  ragging led by a district judge also. The anti-ragging cell is for name sake only,” said Sidharth.