A ragging complaint at Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur, has led to the registration of an FIR against four senior students, triggering unrest on the university campus and protests by students.
The case was registered by Butibori Police after the university administration formally approached the authorities in accordance with UGC anti-ragging guidelines. The complaint was submitted through Prof Vijay Pratap Tiwari, Proctor and Head of the Department of Law.
The accused include two students from the third year and two from the fifth year. They have been booked under Sections 3 and 4 of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999, which deal with the prohibition of ragging and punishment for the offence. The action follows allegations made by a second-year BA LLB (Hons) student, who claimed that he and several junior students were subjected to ragging inside the boys’ hostel on the night of June 25.
According to the complaint, freshers were allegedly called to a room in the South Block hostel between 11 pm and midnight and instructed to introduce themselves in Hindi or in their native language. The juniors alleged that the use of English during introductions invited verbal abuse and punishment in the form of repeated squats. They further claimed that some students were forced to repeat obscene and sexually explicit remarks and were intimidated by senior students.
The complainant stated that he is receiving treatment for an anxiety disorder and suffered a panic attack during the episode. The complaint also included allegations from other students, claiming that some freshers were allegedly kept in senior students’ rooms until nearly 3 am and made to dance and perform various tasks. One student was reportedly forced to wear a makeshift saree created from a bedsheet.
Following the registration of the case, the four accused students were called to the Butibori police station, where notices were served to them as part of the investigation process. Reports from hostel sources claimed that the students remained at the police station overnight before being allowed to leave the following morning.
Sources further alleged that the students were initially asked to submit an undertaking bond of Rs 1 lakh assuring that they would not be involved in ragging activities in the future. The university registrar later permitted the bond to be executed without the requirement of a surety, sources said.
Police officials denied claims that the students had been detained. Butibori Police Inspector Nishant Meshram said a preliminary inquiry had been conducted and notices had been issued to the accused as per procedure.
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