Kataka: Ravenshaw University in Odisha’s Kataka have dismissed claims that a second-year undergraduate student was subjected to ragging by seniors at the Jagannath Hostel, describing the episode instead as a misunderstanding that arose during an online mobile game and was later settled through discussion.
“There was a misunderstanding between the second-year student and some third-year boarders had occurred a few days earlier while they were playing the game. The issue was solved through discussion,” Chief Warden Purnendu Parhi told the media on Wednesday.
The clarification followed reports that the second-year student had lodged a formal complaint on Tuesday with the chief warden, the university’s anti-ragging cell and the registrar. In his complaint, the student alleged that after he objected to what he described as unfair means used by the seniors while playing on Sunday, a group of third-year students entered his room around 11 pm on Monday night, assaulted him with a broom, dragged him to the hostel hall, subjected him to caste-based slurs and abusive remarks about his parents, and threatened to drive him out of the hostel. He claimed the harassment continued for more than four hours, during which the seniors locked the hostel gate to prevent him from leaving, and that he received no timely help despite the presence of hostel staff, caretakers and security personnel. All those involved, including the complainant, are hostel residents.
University officials had earlier indicated that a probe would be launched and that necessary action would be taken on the basis of facts and evidence. However, the administration has now maintained that the matter was resolved amicably once the nature of the dispute became clear.
