The accused have been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. The accused have been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. Four students have been arrested and two minor students detained for allegedly assaulting and ragging a 19-year-old engineering student at the hostel of the Sinhagad Academy of Engineering in Yewalewadi. They have been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. The victim had lodged the first information report (FIR) in this case at the Kondhwa police station on Sunday. The complainant told police that on October 12, he got to know that one of his friends in the college hostel had been beaten up by some other students. He said he advised his friend to inform his parents and hostel authorities about the incident. The engineering student said in the early hours of October 13, while he was sleeping, a group of students knocked on the door of his hostel room. When his roommate opened the door, they barged into the room and started questioning him about why he had advised his friend to inform the hostel authorities about the incident. The group of students then allegedly beat up the complainant and hit him on the head with a mirror, leaving him seriously injured. They also threatened him with dire consequences if he informed anyone about the assault, said the victim. The assailants allegedly also asked the complainant to address them as ‘bhai’ and greet them with a ‘namaskar’ whenever he saw them. After he filed an FIR, police arrested four students, three of them 19 years old and one 21 years old, and detained two minors. They were released on bail later. “The complainant is a native of Jalgaon. The accused students were released on bail today. Further investigation is on,” said Police Sub-Inspector S S Kale of the Kondhwa police station on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in a statement to the media, the college has claimed that it was not an incident of ragging but a case of indiscipline and students fighting among themselves. College authorities said neither the complainant nor his parents have described it as a case of ragging. “The student (complainant), along with his parents, as well the students involved are being questioned and the matter is being investigated in detail. The student and his parents have stated verbally that this was not a case of ragging and they have not reported it as ragging. It appears to be a case of indiscipline, of a fight between students, as we still do not have any complaint on ragging so far,” read the statement. “As per our policy, we strictly abide by the UGC and AICTE regulations and notifications, court directives and the State Act in letter and spirit to ensure that no ragging happens on campus. Accordingly, in strict compliance with the UGC Regulations, AICTE notifications, Supreme Court directives and Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, we have firm policy and guidelines to prevent ragging in all our campuses. We have zero tolerance to ragging and would mete out very stringent and suitable punishment to those who indulge in ragging in the campus, even leading to suspension and / or expulsion from the hostel and / or the institution itself, depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established.” For all the latest Pune News, download Indian Express App

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