Seven final-year students from the University of Kerala, Kariavattom campus, were suspended on Tuesday, February 18, for allegedly assaulting a first-year Biotechnology student. The Kazhakkoottam police have registered a case in connection with the incident.
The suspended students have been identified as Prince, Ananthan, Alan, Sravan, Parthan, Salman, and Velu. Some of the accused are reportedly affiliated with the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
According to the victim, the senior students intercepted him while he was walking with a friend and physically assaulted him without any provocation. His friend reportedly fled from the scene.
"They took me to the SFI unit room and forced me to kneel. They threatened to break my legs if I did not comply. When I asked for water, they spat in it before handing it over to me," the victim told the media.
The accused reportedly warned him against informing the college principal about the incident.
The assault came to light when a doctor treating the victim noticed his injuries and advised his family to file a complaint. Following this, the college’s anti-ragging committee conducted an investigation based on CCTV footage and witness statements, leading to the suspension of the accused students.
The SFI’s Thiruvananthapuram district committee said that they would issue a statement in this regard after the police investigation is concluded.
The incident follows another ragging case in Kottayam, where five senior nursing students at the Government Nursing College were arrested by the Gandhinagar police over similar allegations. Opposition leaders, including Congress leader VD Satheesan, have claimed that the accused in this case also have links to SFI. However, SFI has denied these allegations.
