On charges of ragging, the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, has relegated 16 cadets for six months. These cadets were part of the Spring term, 2016, and were slated to pass out next month. Now after relegation, these cadets would pass out during Winter term 2016, in the month of December.
In an internal inquiry, these Gentlemen Cadets (GCs) were found violating the Academy's order and discipline.
It is learnt that a complaint against 26 senior GCs was lodged by juniors in February. In the complaint, the juniors blamed the seniors of harassment that included roughing up and taking their pictures after stripping them naked. An officer of the academy confirmed the incident and said that the action was taken after an internal inquiry in which the role of 16 GCs was found highly objectionable. He added that punishment by means of relegation is not new and the Commandant of Academy is authorised to take such an action, as and when needed.
However, the sheer number of the GCs brought under the punitive action has caused anger among the senior students as they are terming it as unprecedented and too harsh a punishment. The atmosphere of the Academy is said to be tense ever since the punitive action was ordered last week.
Sources informed that the relegated GCs are pleading innocence and are hoping that the order would be revoked since they too have passed through similar punishment from seniors (ragging) when they were juniors in the academy.
The relegation of six months is bound to be a big blot on the career prospects of these GCs as the tag of relegation would stick to them forever and would have a bearing on their future promotions also.
Meanwhile, no official confirmation of the punitive action was given by the IMA.