Tripura Human Rights Commission seeks report on ragging
Agartala: The Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has taken suo moto cognizance of the recent incident of alleged ragging at the Tripura Medical College.
This comes after an FIR was filed against 12 second-year students of the medical college on October 25, 2024 under section 4 of the Tripura Educational Institutions (prevention of ragging) Act, 1990, following a complaint lodged with the police by the institute’s principal Dr Arindam Dutta.
The commission has directed the District Magistrate, District Superintendent of Police and the college authorities to enquire about the matter and submit a detailed report within three weeks.
Chairperson of THRC Justice SC Das, and members Udit Chowdhury and BK Roy, stated that ragging is not only a criminal offence but it also violates the human rights of the victims. It calls for immediate action in terms of the Tripura Educational Institutions (prevention of ragging) Act, 1990.
The THRC said that on earlier occasions too, on the basis of newspaper reports, the commission had taken cognizance of such incidents that took place at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Gomati and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, North Tripura, among others.
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It said that certain recommendations were made by the commission in the 2022 complaint related to the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Gomati case.
“It is reported in the news item that ragging is practiced at random in Tripura Medical College (TMC), Hapania, West Tripura and a case has been registered against 12 students. It is also reported that the college authority has failed to prevent and/or stop the ragging, which has polluted the learning atmosphere of the medical college. It is not clear from the newspaper report as to whether action has been taken or not in terms of the state enactment. Any leniency in taking action in terms of the provisions would encourage such anti-social activities in the educational institutions,” the THRC in its order said.
The commission also directed the principal of Tripura Medical College to submit a detailed report about the incident within three weeks.
“The Commission also thought it appropriate to have an independent inquiry by the District Magistrate, West Tripura in respect of the incident and get a report within 3 (three) weeks. The Superintendent of Police, West Tripura also should inquire into the matter and submit a report within 3 (three) weeks. Send a copy of this order along with a copy of the news item to the authorities for submission of reports,” it added.