Kerala nursing student ragging: NHRC issues notices

Taking cognizance of media reports about the alleged ragging of a first-year Dalit girl student in Karnataka, the National Human Rights Commission has asked the state government and Kozhikode district authorities of Kerala to file a report on th incident and action taken.
The nursing student, a native of Kerala, was reportedly forced to drink toilet-cleaning liquid by her seniors at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulberga on May 9. The girl is now battling for life at the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, after the incident caused severe damage to her internal organs.
The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Karnataka as well as the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police of Kozhikode calling for reports on action taken in the matter within four weeks, an NHRC statement said.

The rights body also observed that ragging has been banned in educational institutions and guidelines on recommendations of the Raghavan Committee to curb ragging have been issued in this regard.
The apex court has also referred to ragging as an ugly scar, which is required to be obliterated from the face of educational institutions. The college authorities are legally bound and responsible to ensure protection of students from the menace of ragging, the Commission stated.
Five students of the nursing college have been booked in connection with the case.