Kottayam: While investigating the ragging incident at the men’s hostel of the Government College of Nursing in Kottayam, the police were stunned by the unsettling silence maintained by the fellow inmates of the victims at the hostel.

For three months, the victims’ cries echoed from two rooms where the brutal ragging took place, yet no one else in the hostel admitted to hearing them. The rooms were on the third floor, close to the Assistant Warden's quarters and other student rooms. Yet, no one reported even a whisper!

Even more troubling was the collective silence as none of the hostel inmates showed the courage to speak up. “We haven’t seen anything, and we don’t know anything,” was the standard response from most students when the police attempted to collect their statements. Only the victims have come forward to give statements.

With exams underway, most students claimed to be too busy to speak to the police. Despite multiple attempts, the authorities could only begin recording statements by Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the Muslim Students Federation, led by its Kottayam District President Junaid Kaithakulam and District General Secretary Abdulla Muhsin, on Thursday met with college Principal A T Sulekha, who had cancelled her leave and rushed back to the campus. They submitted a memorandum demanding the expulsion of the students accused of ragging.

A team led by the Kottayam DySP also recorded statements from the principal and the assistant warden. Ironically, anti-ragging posters are plastered all across the college and hostel premises, alongside posters discouraging addiction.

Admission granted only after signing anti-ragging pledge

The students arrested in the ragging case were admitted to the institution after signing a bond pledging not to engage in ragging in accordance with the UGC’s 2009 Ragging Regulations. The bond stated that if they violated this promise, they would accept any legal punishment. They had also signed a separate bond against accepting dowry.

According to existing rules, college principals must submit a report detailing any ragging complaints and subsequent actions to the University’s Vice Chancellor by the 5th of every month. For the nursing college, this report must be sent to the Director of Medical Education. A five-member team from the Directorate of Medical Education is now examining whether such reports were ever submitted by the college.

Meanwhile, the ragging victims will receive counselling on an urgent basis. Due to ongoing exams, these sessions will be held afterwards.

Death threats against speaking out

When questioned by the police about why they stayed silent despite enduring harassment for 90 days, the victims confessed that they had feared for their lives. The seniors had threatened to kill them if they reported the incidents. This fear was so intense that they didn’t even confide in their own families.

The victims described how fear would grip them as Saturdays approached. Those unable to give money to seniors for buying alcohol faced brutal assaults. The seniors would storm into their rooms and slap them hard. The victims were forced to endure the pain in complete silence. The ragging sessions typically began at 11 pm, with cruel punishments awaiting those who dared to cry, even face cream would be forced into their mouths to silence them.

The victims could muster the courage to report the abuse to their families and the police only after a formal case was registered. Shockingly, neither the assistant warden nor the security personnel seemed aware of the fact that seniors frequently entered the hostel in an intoxicated state.