Kottayam: Kottayam Government Nursing College Principal Prof Sulekha AT and Assistant Professor Ajeesh P Mani, who was in charge of the assistant warden’s duties at the college hostel, were placed under suspension pending enquiry following a brutal ragging incident at the campus.

Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Rajan Khobragade issued the order after it was found that the officials failed to prevent or intervene in the matter. Additionally, the hostel’s housekeeper and security personnel have been removed. The action followed an investigation by the Director of Medical Education, conducted on the directive of Health Minister Veena George.

Shocking visuals that surfaced on Thursday showed a first-year student tied to a cot and tortured. The junior student was stripped, stabbed with a compass, and subjected to further abuse, including dumbbells being placed on his private parts. Police arrested five third-year students—Samuel Johnson (20), Rahul Raj (22), Jeev (18), Rijil Jith (20), and Vivek (21)—under the Prohibition of Ragging Act.

The complaint revealed that ragging had been ongoing in the boys' hostel for nearly three months. The accused, who had been suspended by the college earlier after being charged with ragging six juniors, were remanded in judicial custody.

The students have also been booked under Sections 118(1) (intentionally causing hurt using dangerous weapons or means), 308(2) (punishment for extortion), and 351(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.