Enact stringent law prescribing severe punishment for ragging: Kerala high court tells govt
Kochi: High court has urged the state govt to enact a stringent law prescribing severe punishment for ragging in educational institutions, noting that such a measure is essential to curb the menace that continues to claim the lives of students due to the unruly and violent conduct of undisciplined peers.
The bench of Justice D K Singh observed that the state must also ensure that those found guilty of ragging are not let off unpunished. The court made these remarks while considering the petitions filed by M K Narayanan and R Kanthanathan, the dean and assistant hostel warden, respectively, of the Pookode campus of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. The petitioners had challenged the disciplinary proceedings initiated against them following the death by suicide of J S Sidharthan, a second-year BVSc student, who was allegedly subjected to brutal ragging.
Disposing of the petitions, HC directed the university to proceed with the departmental proceedings against the petitioners and complete the same within three months. It also mandated that the petitioners cooperate fully with the inquiry. Further, HC instructed the university to ensure appropriate action is taken against the students found responsible for Sidharthan's death.
Sidharthan was found hanging in the hostel bathroom on Feb 18, 2024.
Following the incident, the vice-chancellor issued suspension orders against the petitioners on March 5, and a three-member inquiry committee was constituted. The committee's report held both petitioners jointly liable for failing to discharge their duties and responsibilities. Subsequently, the chancellor appointed Justice A Hariprasad, a retired HC judge, to conduct an inquiry into the lapses in the administration of the campus and hostel.
His report found that the dean failed in his responsibilities as warden and that the assistant warden also failed to enforce discipline in the men's hostel. The report was also critical of the conduct of the vice-chancellor.
The petitioners had challenged the disciplinary proceedings and also the chancellor's communication dated August 12, 2024, which called for action under the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 2010 and asked the management council to respond within 45 days. They contended that the chancellor had no authority under the statute to initiate or direct disciplinary action against them. The court, however, rejected their contentions, holding that the chancellor has wide and overarching powers under the Act, including the authority to issue directions to the university authorities, who are duty-bound to comply.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
33 minutes ago
- India Today
2 armed men on bike sexually assault girl on Pune highway, rob her family
A 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted, and three other women were robbed of their gold jewellery by two unidentified bike-borne assailants on a highway in Maharashtra's Pune district, police said on incident took place around 4.15 am near Bhigwan in the Daund area when the car carrying the seven passengers stopped after the elderly driver pulled over to answer nature's call, a police official to police, seven people — a 70-year-old driver, three women, two 17-year-old boys, and the 17-year-old girl — were travelling from a village in Junnar tehsil of Pune district to the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district. "As the driver felt sleepy, he parked the car near a tea stall. When he stepped away, two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached the vehicle, brandished sharp weapons, and threatened the occupants. They looted gold jewellery from three women passengers and forcibly took the minor girl out of the car before sexually assaulting her," the official committing the crime, the duo fled the spot on their motorcycle. The shocked passengers later managed to alert local 73-year-old owner of the roadside tea stall reportedly witnessed the crime but was unable to provide crucial details due to his age, the official case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. Eight teams have been formed to trace and nab the accused," Pune (Rural) Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill have launched an investigation and are trying to trace the unidentified assailants.- Ends(With inputs from Smita Raichand.)
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Nagpur Teen Raped In Car By Social Media Friend, Accused Arrested
Last Updated: A 15-year-old girl in Nagpur was raped by a man whom she befriended on social media. The incident happened while she had gone to meet him in person. One person was arrested after a minor girl was raped in a moving car in Maharashtra's Nagpur. According to the details, the accused in the case was friends with the 15-year-old. The two had befriended each other on social media. The incident unfolded when the girl had gone to meet the accused in person. On June 27, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man in the Budhana town of Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar. Later, commenting on the incident, an official said that the accused worked as a labourer in a factory located near the victim's house. He lured the girl to a secluded place on Friday and raped her. The family members came to know about the incident when the minor returned home, and the parents found her bleeding from her private parts. Subsequently, a case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as per the complaint by the survivor's family. On June 30, it was reported that two brothers of a BSF jawan raped his wife on multiple occasions and blackmailed her using obscene videos. An FIR was lodged against seven persons, including the rape survivor's in-laws, in connection with the matter. One of the accused was arrested. The complainant told the police that after she got married, she lived in a separate house with her mother-in-law, outside her village. Her husband was in the BSF, so he would often be on duty. The survivor told the police that whenever her mother-in-law went to her residence, both her brothers-in-law would enter her house (outside the village) and rape her. They made videos of the act and used them to blackmail her into submission, she alleged. First Published:
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Kerala State Maritime Board to crack down on unregistered inland vessels
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to curb unsafe and illegal vessel operations in Kerala's backwaters and inland waterways, the Kerala State Maritime Board (KSMB) is launching a statewide crackdown on unauthorised vessels -- including houseboats, shikaras, speedboats, and other mechanised crafts. The Board will strictly enforce the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, which aims to establish a uniform regulatory framework for inland navigation and ensure safe water transportation for the public. According to the data with the Board, there are approximately 1,500 inland vessels of various categories operating in the state. KSMB Chairman N S Pillai told TNIE that the initiative is intended to bring an end to the illegal operation of inland vessels. 'The Central Act will be strictly implemented in Kerala. We have formed dedicated enforcement squads, and speedboats have been procured for inspection activities. Surprise checks will be conducted, and illegal vessels will be seized and destroyed,' he said. The Maritime Board has announced July 15 as the final deadline for vessel owners to submit applications for mandatory registration. 'We are providing operators an opportunity to come under the legal framework. If they fail to do so, we will have no choice but to seize the vessels. Any vessel that does not meet safety standards will be confiscated and destroyed to prevent further illegal operations,' said Pillai . This enforcement drive comes amid increasing reports of unregistered and unsafe boats operating in the state, posing serious risks to public safety and the environment. In Alappuzha, which is a major hub of backwater tourism, there are currently 821 registered houseboats, 241 shikaras, 444 motorboats, and 134 speedboats under the Board. According to Alappuzha Port Officer Jismon Jacob, a significant number of vessels in the region are operating without valid registration. 'Strict action will be taken against violators who fail to comply with the registration requirement before the deadline. This is the first time such a large-scale enforcement drive is being conducted in the state,' Jacob said. The drive also aims to curb the growing pollution of water bodies caused by unfit inland vessels. Pillai stated that the new vessels registered under the Act would not pose any environmental threat, as they are required to comply with strict waste management regulations to obtain registration.
