Malappuram: A young Dalit woman from Edappal, Malappuram, remains a living victim of ragging, still grappling with the physical and mental trauma caused by the brutal torture she endured 10 years ago.

For nine years, she lived in isolation, confined to her room. She is still receiving treatment for the damage to her oesophagus after senior students forced her to drink toilet cleaner.

The dreams of this Dalit girl and her impoverished family were shattered by senior students at Al Qamar College of Nursing in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, 10 years ago. In June 2015, as a first-year student, she was subjected to severe ragging. When she refused to comply with the seniors' demand to dance nude, they retaliated by forcing her to drink a toxic toilet cleaner and capturing the act on their phones.

The incident left the student severely ill, and she was hospitalised. However, her seniors intervened and had her discharged. Some classmates eventually brought her back to Kerala, where she was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College in critical condition, unable to swallow even water. After spending 49 days in the hospital, she survived but had to rely on liquid food through a tube for a long time afterwards.

Although JDT Islam Trust College in Kozhikode offered her free education and accommodation, she had to discontinue her studies due to ongoing health issues. Even now, she struggles with eating and frequently vomits due to the damage to her oesophagus. She continues treatment to restore her oesophagus, which has shrunk due to the toxic liquid.

For nine years, she stayed indoors, traumatised by the brutal ragging and developing psychological issues. However, she is now making efforts to regain normalcy with treatment at Kozhikode Medical College and support from a psychologist. Last month, she completed a beautician course and joined an institution in Kozhikode. She now lives in a rented house near the medical college to continue her treatment.

The four seniors who ragged her are from Idukki, Kollam, and Kaduthuruthy, Kottayam. Though police arrested three of them, all were granted bail shortly after. Relatives of the victim claim that the accused are now working in various hospitals, including abroad. They also report that the accused attempted to bribe and threaten the family to withdraw the case, using political influence.

The victim had been the family's hope for a better life after her father abandoned them. Raised by her mother, a daily wage labourer, she enrolled in the nursing course with a Rs 4 lakh bank loan. After paying the first instalment, the bank later waived the loan. However, despite studying for six months, the college has yet to return her certificates or fees.