The torment of the six first-year GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) students, victims of relentless and brutal ragging at the hands of their seniors, began only after the rest of the hostel had fallen asleep. The perpetrators included three third-year and two second-year students.
Even postgraduate students and resident faculty members, housed in nearby rooms, remained unaware of the atrocities until a complaint surfaced. At around 10.30 pm each night, the accused would summon first-year students to their rooms via phone calls.
Once inside, the victims endured hours of extreme ragging, trapped in a nightmare that seemed endless. The hostel accommodates 14 GNM students, all residing on the ground floor of the men’s hostel, adjacent to the housekeeper’s room. Shockingly, despite being present 24/7, the housekeeper claimed ignorance of the months-long abuse. He only admitted to noticing first-year students frequently fetching food and water at odd hours but failed to investigate further. Had he taken action earlier, this horror might have been uncovered sooner.
Extortion and physical assault
Beyond physical and mental abuse, the first-year students were also subjected to financial extortion. Each week, they were forced to pay Rs 800 to their seniors—an unbearable burden for those from financially struggling backgrounds. The relentless harassment, coupled with this monetary exploitation, pushed the victims to extreme distress.
On Monday, the seniors demanded Rs 2,000 from the juniors. When they failed to comply, the perpetrators unleashed brutal physical assault. It was this demand for money that ultimately led to an investigation, exposing the prolonged and inhumane torture the victims had suffered. Five accused students have since been arrested.
History of abuse at Nursing College
Reports indicate that the nursing college in Gandhinagar has a disturbing history of continued abuse. Last academic year, a similar case of ragging was reported to the Gandhinagar police. However, as the victim later withdrew the complaint, further legal action was stalled.
Expulsion of accused students demanded
Stongly condemning the incident, the Kerala Students Union (KSU) has demanded the immediate expulsion of the accused students from the college. KSU district president K N Naisam called for strict measures to prevent such atrocities in the future.
