Uttarakhand High Court Seeks Reply Of Principal Of Haldwani Medical College On The Ragging Incident
The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the principal of the Haldwani Medical College over the recent ragging incident which took within the campus premises earlier this month. The Court has sought a reply by April 20, which is also the next date of hearing in the matter. It may be noted that the Uttarakhand High Court has already formed a committee to inspect the...
The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the principal of the Haldwani Medical College over the recent ragging incident which took within the campus premises earlier this month. The Court has sought a reply by April 20, which is also the next date of hearing in the matter.
It may be noted that the Uttarakhand High Court has already formed a committee to inspect the College premises, examine the video footage available and also examine the students and take appropriate action in the matter.
The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe has issued this direction on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea moved by Sachidanand Dabral seeking permanent measures to prohibit ragging throughout the Higher Educational Institutions.
In his plea, Dabral specifically referred to a viral video of an alleged incident of ragging at a government medical college in Haldwani, wherein, the students with their heads shaven and hands tied at their backs could be seen walking in a queue around the campus.
Taking into account the alleged video clip of the Medical College, the Court had, on March 9, observed thus:
"We have viewed the video clip which supports the contentions of the petitioner that 1st year MBBS students were tonsured, their hands were tied at their back and they were paraded in the day time and a guard of the college was following them. If it is an act of ragging, the action shall be punishable under the Anti Ragging Act. The National Medical Council should also look into the matter."
Agaisnt this backdrop, the Court had formed a committee consisting of the Commissioner, Kumaon Division, and the DIG, Kumaon Division to immediately inspect the premises, examine the video footage available, and also examined the students and take appropriate action.
The Court had also clarified that they will have the liberty to lodge criminal cases against the guilty party.
As per the report of The Indian Express, following a video of a group of first-year MBBS students, all tonsured, going viral, the Haldwani Government Medical College administration had called for an inquiry earlier this month to look into the ragging angle.
In the video, which was making rounds on social media, tonsured students in lab coats can be seen walking silently in a line with heads down and hands behind their backs.
Case title - Sachidanand Dabral v. Union of India & Ors.