Karnataka police records statement of ragging victim

A police team from Karnataka has recorded the statement of the Dalit nursing student, a victim of ragging now undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital here, police said today.

Nineteen-year-old Aswathi was allegedly force-fed toilet cleaner by her seniors at the hostel of Al Qamal College of Nursing in Kalaburgi in Karnataka on May 9, seriously damaging her internal organs.

She was admitted to a private college in Kalaburgi after the incident, but as her condition worsened after five days, she was sent back home with another Keralite student.

She was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital in Kerala, after which she was referred to KMCH on June 2.

It took several hours for the team, led by Kalaburgi DSP Jhanvi to record her statement yesterday as she experienced breathing problems and vomiting, Sub Inspector of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) police station, Habib said.

Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU.

Quoting hospital sources, Habib said it would take at least six months for the girl to recover.