‘Ragging has an inherent invisible role in increasing the crime in India.’

• Suyash Karangutkar. 
• suyashsince1998@gmail.com

Ragging has been consistently increasing in India. Seniors in school and colleges are turning wild over juniors. Senior Editor Suyash Karangutkar reports another shocking and appalling incident from Mumbai. 

12^th November’ 2013: Mumbai: Barely two months after

the September incident where-in an eight year old girl, Ondrilla Das died after she was ragged by her seniors, another incident came into picture at Mumbai. This incident was more shameful and appalling than the previous.

In a partially different incident, a 14-year-old boy was ragged by seven students of his school brutally in a secluded location of Powai. The teenager, whose identity has been withheld by the police, was taken to an isolated location of Powai on the afternoon of 16^th October by six boys. The police have said that five among six are minors.

After taking him to the location, the six of the accused forced the victim to remove his clothes. They later asked him to dance. Later what they did was horrible and completely unimaginable. The six of them inserted a wooden stick in his private parts, shot a video of the whole incident and shamelessly updated it on a website.

Both the accused and the victims are from the same school of Bhandup, theMid-Day reported.

The incident came into limelight after the video came into the hands of a standard 10^th student of the school who showed it to a teacher. The matter was then reported to the Principal and the parents of both accused and victim were called. The awful video was then shown to them and the principal advised the victim’s parents to approach the police station and take-up the matter legally.

The place of crime came under the Powai Police and an FIR was lodged against all the accused. The police immediately arrested the accused.

The police informed that the victim did not confide in anybody as the accused had threatened him that they would file a police complaint against him accusing him for stealing. The police have now booked the boys under sections 377 (unnatural sex), 292 (obscenity), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, and also sections 4, 6, 8, 10, 14 and 15 of the Child Protection Act.

Five of the accused have been sent to Dongri remand home and the sixth accused, Dhananjay Kulkarni has been sent to jail.

Commenting on the brutal incident, Mr. Sathya Raj, Founder and CEO of Speakers Club India told The Columnist:, “I think ragging is an act of sheer brute. It deserves the severest of punishments and there needs to be more awareness on this issue.”

Compared to the steps taken by the Kolkata School in the September’ 2013 case, the Mumbai School, at least took a strict stance on the matter.

Condemning the incident, C.E.O of Plorez and International Business Developer of Global Youth Forum – Mumbai, Mr. Chirag Dodiya said that ragging is like a curse in our society that is infecting our youth's mind. He further added that those who remain silent on such crimes are equally as faulty as the accused.

Mr. Sathya Raj exerted on the need for installing a foolproof anti ragging system in all schools and colleges. He also lauded the steps and measures taken by the government.

Recently, on September’ 28, a workshop was conducted to sanitize students on dealing the ragging issues. S.G. Pathak, Principle, DY Patil Polytechnic Institute,where the event was held said, “Ragging is something that disrupts the regular academic activity of the students and despite it attracting punishment, many times, the students do not think of the consequences before indulging in such a kind of behavior. Our aim is to make our students aware and also to make them better citizens so that if they ever encounter such kind of behavior they know how to take charge of the situation in a rightful manner.”

Mihir Sanghvi a student of Children’s Academy, Kandivli said that according to him peer pressure plays a crucial role in ragging and boys and girls are victimized to it. Mihir highlighted a very important point: ‘ragging has an inherent invisible role in increasing the crime in India.’

Previous year in August, five students of final-year arts from L.S. Raheja Collage were suspended after they ragged some junior students outside the college premise.

1800-180-5522 is a national helpline number launched by Raj Kachroo, founder of Aman Satya Kachroo trust. By 2012, the Mid-Day reported that 1, 400 complaints were registered.

Gaurav Mishra, founder, Global Youth Forum- Mumbai told The Columnist,“People who rag others just show that how mentally imbalance they are and have no right to stay in this society. Now, they are ragging then they will rape; punishments have to be given and they should be made realized what crime they have done.”

According to Preeti Vidhani, a writer said that ragging is a concept where seniors show their powerful domination to new comers. It is a tact where seniors can put their first horrifying impression on students & keep juniors under control. Ragging is a practice similar to hazing in educational institutes & colleges with the juniors and newcomers.

In September this year, six medical interns of Rajiv Gandhi Medical College were suspended after a 19 year old student complained that the six stripped his underwear and used blades to bruise his hands. Harish Choudhury said that he was told by one senior doctor that he was called in room number four. After finishing his dinner, Harish who belongs to Uttarpradesh went to the room and found other juniors.

Preeti Vidhani further says that seniors have turned into a potent tool for ill-treating & punishing poor students if they fail to obey them. Sometimes, the victims are even stripped & intimidated by their seniors & this torture leaves an indelible impression on the victims. These incidents continue to haunt them throughout their life & they unknowingly develop various psychological disorders like depression.