2 days ago
Kerala High Court directs state government to take strict action against ragging
KOCHI: Kerala High Court has held that the state government must frame a stringent law providing severe punishment for ragging activities in educational institutions to stop the menace so that no other student loses his/her life for the unruly, rowdy conduct of the undisciplined students.
The state should also make sure that the guilty are not left unpunished. Justice D K Singh also said that though the UGC anti-ragging regulations are strict, they have not deterred the unruly behaviour and conduct of the students. The regulations are not enough to curb ragging activity in its entirety.
The court issued the order while disposing of a petition filed by Kanthanathan R, suspended assistant warden, and M K Narayanan, suspended dean of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, seeking to quash the disciplinary action following the death of Sidharthan J S, a second-year student of the college, following ragging.
The court said the decision of the university to keep the disciplinary proceedings in abeyance against them on the ground that the highest authority has intervened is against the scheme of the University Act and the Statutes of the University.
The court made it clear that in view of the communication on September 27, 2024, by the chancellor to the vice-chancellor, the university is directed to proceed against the petitioners.
