Taking a serious view of an alleged ragging incident in a Delhi Public School hostel in Noida, in which two Class XI students were injured, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, district magistrate NP Singh and SSP of Gautam Budh Nagar, Kiran Shiv Kumar.
The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports, carried on Wednesday, that two students of Class XI, were beaten mercilessly by their seniors for protesting against outlawed practice of ragging and reporting the matter to the school authorities. The Commission has asked them to file reports within four weeks.
Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students on Thursday protested outside DPS School in Sector-30, Noida, demanding suspension of guilty students involved in ragging. They carried out a march and gave a memorandum to the City Magistrate.
The school management has suspended six Class XII students named in the FIR.
The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports as two students of Class XI of DPS Noida were beaten mercilessly by their 17 seniors. The incident happened when the boys were returning after dinner to their hostel on May 8, 2016.
The NHRC observed that the incident raises issue of serious violation of right to life and dignity of the young students.
The Commission has also observed that ragging has been banned in the educational institutions and certain guidelines on recommendations of the Raghvan Committee have been issued in this regard.
The Apex Court, while deciding the Civil Appeal No. 887 of 2009, has also referred to ragging as an ugly scar, which is required to be obliterated from the face of educational institutions.
The school authorities are legally bound and responsible to ensure protection of students from the menace of ragging. The NHRC has also observed that the school management first tried to persuade the parents of the victims not to file a report with police.
SSP Kiran S, said that the police have already registered a case against the accused students. “The police are investigating the matter. We will reply to the Commission with action taken report,” he said.
NP Singh, district magistrate, GB Nagar said that he has asked the Senior Superintendent of Police to provide the status report of the investigation in this case. “We will hold meetings and sensitize the students in schools and colleges,” DM said.