Zeal Education Society’s Dnyanganga College of Engineering and Research, Narhe campus in Ambegaon, has absolved senior female hostelites of the college of charges of ragging on the night of August 20.
Although the gathering of senior and junior students took place after 11pm without the permission of the hostel rector, the college authorities have described the incident as a “harmless identity parade” and not a case of ragging.
When asked about the incident, the institute’s director, SM Katkar said, “It is not that we have given a clean chit. The fact is that none of the junior students came forward with any complaint. In case of the seniors who were named, we have called their parents and also taken an assurance from the students that they will not indulge in any such activities in the future.”
The incident came to light on August 24 when a junior female student complained of ragging by the seniors and said she was particularly disturbed as her sister had committed suicide in 2005 after facing harassment due to ragging.
She alleged that on the night of August 20, the seniors called out the freshers to the foyer and harassed them in various ways which was intensely disliked.
The rural police initially refused to take cognisance of the complaint by a student, but acted promptly after superintendent of police, Sandeep Karnik, directed the Haveli police station to probe the matter. The police then gave a day’s time to the college to submit a report on the alleged ragging.
Assistant police inspector, Namdev Kauthale, told DNA that the college submitted a report of some 10 pages along with written statements of eight students, including the suspects. He said that the statement of the complainant and her father was recorded by the police on August 21.
“The college, in its report, has given a clean chit to the senior students and has concluded that it was not a case of ragging but an identity parade. The complainant too has withdrawn her statement,” he said.
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