Another College Student In Bhubaneswar Alleges Ragging; Ruchika’s Mother Joins Stir For Justice

Bhubaneswar: Another college student in Odisha capital alleged ragging by hostel inmates even as members of a students’ organisation along with the mother of Ruchika Mohanty of BJB Autonomous College, who allegedly committed suicide for ragging, staged a rasta roko on Thursday.

According to reports, Rudra Narayan Patra, a Plus II second year student (Commerce stream) of BJB Junior College in Bhubaneswar said he was harassed by seniors inmates of his hostel. Though they were ragging him in front of lecturers, the latter neither stopped them nor took any action.

Subsequently, Rudra filed a complaint at Badagada police station in Bhubaneswar. But there was no follow-up action on the part of police also, he added.

It may be noted that Ruchika, a Plus III student of BJB Autonomous College in the city, was found dead in her hostel room of the college on July 2. The police had found a suicide note from her pocket. The note reportedly stated that she was was forced to commit suicide after being harassed by her seniors in the college.

While Minister of State for Home Tushar Kanti Behera had given a statement on her death in the Assembly, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) directed the Commissionerate of Police to submit a report on the case and probe status after taking a suo motu cognizance of the matter.

Meanwhile, members of the Naba Nirman Sangathan and several students’ unions along with Ruchika’s mother staged a road blockade in Bhubaneswar demanding justice for Ruchika.

Even as Ruchika’s post-mortem report has confirmed that she died of asphyxia due to hanging, her parents have demanded a CBI probe to identify the students who were involved in the ragging.