New Delhi: As the Aman Kachroo case brings
back the spotlight on the menace of ragging, a study by an NGO
has showed that 164 incidents and 19 deaths allegedly due to
ragging were reported in the country in the last one year.
According to the analysis, the academic session 2009-10
registered highest number of ragging deaths in the last few
years, the NGO, Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education
(CURE), said today.
The year saw four attempted suicides allegedly due to
ragging, it said, adding that the number of ragging incidents
have doubled in comparison to the previous academic session.
The anti-ragging advocacy group, which comes out with
study of ragging cases every year based on reports in English
media, noted that the figure was 89 reported cases, 11 deaths
and five attempted suicides in 2007-08, while in 2008-09, it
was 88 reported ragging incidents, 12 deaths and five
attempted suicides due to ragging.
"The year also witnessed a marked increase in the number
of ragging incidents involving girls, including four cases of
deaths and two cases of attempted suicides by girl students,"
it said.
"Ragging cases reported have doubled this academic year.
Whereas this increase could be due to wider coverage of
ragging incidents by the media, the substantial increase in
number of deaths is concerning," it said.
The highest number of incidents was reported from Uttar
Pradesh (26), followed by Andhra Pradesh (18), Tamil Nadu
(14), Kerala (13) and West Bengal (11).
Maharashtra (4), West Bengal (4) and Punjab (3)
registered maximum deaths due to ragging, according to the
study by CURE, which was established in 2001 and also runs a
website www.noragging.com.
Aman Kachroo, a first-year student of Tanda Medical
College in Himachal Pradesh, succumbed to injuries allegedly
after being ragged by four seniors in March last year. The
case was back in news recently after the four were granted
bail by a fast track court and the matter is since pending
before the Himachal High Court.
PTI
