Amid widespread outrage over the brutal ragging incident at the Government Nursing College, the Kerala Nurses and Midwives Council (KNMC) on Saturday decided to bar all five accused students from continuing their studies.
A council meeting convened here observed that the accused did not deserve to complete their studies or enter the service profession. The council further noted that those entering the nursing profession should be humane and compassionate—whereas the accused displayed cruelty toward their juniors—behaviour that is unacceptable in any circumstance.
A council member described the Kottayam ragging incident as an “extremely cruel act” and said it cannot be justified under any circumstances. “We will never justify the incident. What we want to emphasise is that allowing such individuals into the nursing profession would be a disaster,” said Usha Devi, a council member.
She said the Council would soon inform the concerned authorities of its decision. With this decision, the accused students can no longer continue their studies in Kerala, she added. The Council’s ruling came a day after the state Health Minister indicated that strict action would be taken against those involved in the brutal incident.
On Friday, the department suspended Principal Sulekha A T and Assistant Professor/Assistant Warden-in-Charge of the student hostel, Ajeesh P Mani, pending an inquiry for allegedly failing to prevent ragging and effectively intervene in the matter.
The hostel’s housekeeper-cum-security staff was also ordered to be removed immediately, according to a statement issued by the Health Minister’s office late Friday night. The action was taken following an inquiry conducted by the Director of Medical Education, as per the instructions of Health Minister Veena George, the statement added.
Cutting across political lines, ministers and leaders continued to condemn the brutal ragging incident and demanded strict action against it on Saturday as well.
