Trigger warning: Sensitive content
A disturbing video of Doon Business School where a student being humiliated and abused by several other students has spread across the internet. In the video, the student was crying for help as he was getting by kicked by others. Later, many students were suspended by the college authorities, including the victim.
What’s the story behind the incident?
According to the video, Aditya Basak, B. Com 2nd year student, is sitting on the floor while students are kicking him. While talking to TTL, A 3rd year DBS student, said, “This all started after the video of Aditya being abused was shared. The college authorities forced the students to delete the video and suspended Aditya, as well as his friends who were there to help him, for 21 days from both the college and campus hostels. The abusers are suspended for 30 days. The suspension was given on a 12-hour notice.” He further added, “Because of this, the students started to protest after which police was called on scene. The policemen started to hit the students protesting, because of which the students started to vandalize the college property.” “Currently our college is closed till further notice” he told TTL. An Instagram user “none_of_ur_bznes”,shared the Instagram video of the incident and informed that Aditya conveyed to the college authorities that since he is from West Bengal, he cannot afford to buy a ticket in such a short notice because of the high prices and availability. To this the college responded that it is his problem not theirs.
https://youtu.be/R-Wrlti-KSQ?feature=shared
A 2nd year DBS student expressed to DBS, “The college authority and the disciplinary committee failed the students. They lack management and do not have a right approach towards the students. The suspension of the victim and his friends was unreasonable.” According to the New Indian Express, after the incident, the Selaqui police station officer Mohan Singh took suo moto cognizance and registered an FIR against 150 to 200 students. SO Mohan Singh also said, “The agitated students also attacked the policemen due to which two of the constables were injured.” Police have registered a case against 150 to 200 people under sections 146, 186, 188, 332, 342, 353, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code for obstructing government work, assault, and rioting. No arrest has been made so far. He further informed, “Atul Rawat, Anil Kumar and Sen Gupta of the faculty who were held hostage in the boys’ hostel somehow managed to escape from the students.”
Digging deeper into the story
On request of anonymity due to college’s strict actions, A 3rd year student of DBS told TTL a different aspect of the incident. “It can be seen in the video that Aditya was being abused by the other students, out of which 2 of them are my batchmates. After the video surfaced and police were involved, to save their own reputation the college authorities blamed it entirely on both the victims and the abusers by saying that it is not a matter of ragging. The college stressed that it is an internal fight between two groups of students which is falsely represented as a case of ragging to not get punished.” SO Mohan Kumar claimed that the students were agitated and hit the constables, but the student told TTL, “we were cooperating with the police. We just wanted to know why the victim and his friends were suspended, but the police misbehaved with us and charged us.” The student continued, “Our college very easily portrayed that the college is anti-ragging and that it was a mere rivalry between the two groups. The college authorities used this contention when they were asked why the victim was suspended. The college claimed that Aditya was in fact not a victim, but a part of the gang rivalry.”
UGC’s say on ragging
The UGC (University Grants Commission) provided a clear directive that in case the college fails to assist students who are victims of ragging, they should approach the UGC for assistance. The UGC claims to take action against wrongdoers under the Ragging Regulation Act. The Ragging Regulation Act includes the provision of up to three years of imprisonment for individuals found guilty in ragging activities.
What’s next?
The incident has now turned into a clash between the students and the college. The students are demanding to remove the order of suspension from the victim and his friends because they are innocent, whereas the college is sticking up to its decision stating that it’s not a case of ragging, but of group rivalry. Legal actions have been taken against the students because of vandalism of college property. The college is currently closed till further notice while the police is looking into the matter
Image source: DBS student By: freelance journalist, reporting for true to life