Suicide attempt by MBBS student in TN, alleges ragging by seniors

Chennai, Dec 6 (IANS) The police have started an investigation in the suicide attempt case of a second-year MBBS student at the Government Medical College hostel in Dharmapuri, Salem district. The student had lodged a complaint against four senior students accusing them of ragging him.

The student was found in an unconscious state on Sunday at the hostel room and fellow students took him to the hospital where he is recouping.

Police, according to information available, have commenced investigation on the reason behind the suicide attempt and whether ragging was the reason behind it.

Dean of Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital, Dr. Amudhavallli while speaking to IANS said, "The boy is a native of Rasipuram in Namakkal district and had lodged a complaint a few weeks before that he was subjected to ragging. We had notified his parents and had commenced an investigation, but later he withdrew the complaint"

However, the College authorities on condition of anonymity said that the boy had undergone psychological counselling after the withdrawal of the complaint and was under severe depression.

Police have started investigating the case and a senior officer attached with the Dharmapuri police station told IANS said, "We have not yet registered a case, but are investigating the matter from all angles. The boy, according to the college authorities, withdrew the complaint against four seniors who he alleged had ragged him. Since ragging is prohibited by law, the four senior students could be booked but before that, we are taking statements from his classmates, parents, and teachers."

With ragging resurfacing in several colleges of Tamil Nadu, parents and students allege that most of the college managements are not supporting the victims out of fear that the college may get a bad name.

Habeeb Khan Rawther, a psychologist and counsellor based out of Madurai while speaking to IANS said, "The college authorities must be booked if they don't lodge a formal complaint against ragging citing the loss of name and reputation of the college. The safety of first-year and second-year students is much more important than the reputation of the college.

"There has to be a major crackdown by the government of Tamil Nadu against these offenders who are bringing back the draconian ragging into the college campuses. This has to be put an end to and the government must act with an iron hand. Otherwise, several bright innocent students will lose their lives and even if they survive will turn into mental wrecks."