The managing committee of RD Junior College, Digboi, said on Friday that the college authorities have suspended all the five students involved in the alleged ragging of a Grade 12 student of RD Junior College.

The college authorities have not disclosed the identity of the ragging victim as well as the suspended students.

Interestingly, the suspended students are said to be students of Grade 11 – one class junior to the victim.

Ragging took a violent turn at RD Junior College, Digboi, after a Grade 12 student was “mercilessly” beaten up by a group of students at a private hostel.

Though the ragging incident reportedly took place a month back but the college authorities have come to know about the same only now after a video of the same went viral on various social media platforms.

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In the video, a group of five boys, speaking in Assamese, is seen asking the victim to stand in front of them. After exchanging a few words, the boys thrash him mercilessly, rain blows on him and also kicks the Grade 12 student. The victim is then asked to dance.

“We called the guardians of the students and sent them back. The hostel, where this incident occurred, has been closed down and students have been sent to other hostels,” managing committee members of the college informed.

Also Read: NIT Agartala suspends two senior students for ragging

RD Junior College was set up in 2004 in the name of eight-time Congress MLA from Digboi Late Rameswar Dhanowar. The college is run by his family.

Tinsukia DC Oinam Saran Kumar Singh said that a magisterial inquiry has been initiated and sub-divisional officer Sumit Sattawan has been directed to submit the report within seven days.

The OC of Digboi Police Station, Mahesh Bora, said no FIR has so far been lodged in connection with the incident. “We received a verbal complaint from the guardian of the victim. They have not lodged a formal complaint. In any case, we are investigating the incident as it is a very serious matter,” Bora added.

Sumit Sattawan, SDO, Margherita, told Northeast Now, “It cannot be a case of ragging because the victim is one class senior to the boys who roughed him up. It appears to be a case of personal enmity. We are investigating the matter.”

In May 2007, the Supreme Court had ordered a crackdown on ragging in educational campuses across the country. The apex court had made it compulsory for colleges and other educational institutions to register FIRs saying that exemplary punishment should be awarded to offenders so that it acts as a deterrent.

Binay Dubey, president, Digboi unit of AASU, said, “Previously, too, such violent incidents of ragging have happened in RD College. AASU Digboi unit will submit a memorandum to the college authorities on Saturday to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.”