22 June 2016: A 19-year-old is forced to drink phenol as part of ragging by the seniors in Al Qamar College of Nursing on May 9, Kalaburagi after which the girl is being hospitalised and in serious condition, said the sources.
According to the reports, the girl, Aswathi is a native of Pulluvanpadiyil near Eddapal from Kerela. She is a first semester BSc nursing student and staying in the college hostel. She was allegedly ragged and forcefully asked to drink the toilet cleaning phenol by the seniors.
The girl was then rushed to the private hospital in Kalaburagi by the college authorities. The incident took place on 9 May. But the girl’s condition worsened after five days of treatment though and she was sent home along with the other student of the college by the college authorities.
Aswathi then complaint her parents that she was ragged by the seniors of the college and was forced to drink phenol. Her parents admitted her to Thrissur Hospital but after her condition worsened, she was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on June 2, said her parents.
According to the source, the girl has been asked to sing and dance by the seniors of the college. When the girl refused to do so, she was then forced to drink the toilet cleaning phenol, as said by Aswathi.
It is learned that the seniors who allegedly Ragged to the 19-year-old girl are all from the native Kerala, as said by the SP, M Shashikumar who have visited the hostel for an enquiry after learning about the incident.
On questioning the students, SP, M Shashikumar learned that “Two of her seniors allegedly forced her to sing, dance and to drink phenol. Now the girl has been hospitalized for further treatment and her parents have lodged a complaint with Kozhikode police that their daughter was ragged by the senior girl students of the college”, he said.
It is also learned that the college Principal denies about the girl being ragged in the college and says that, there is no ragging involved and alleged that the girl drank phenol because of some of her family problems.
The doctors attending for Aswathi said that the chemicals of the phenol have damaged the portion of her gullet and so the doctors have suggested for the surgery. She can only take food only through a pipe. The doctors also said that, as some of her gullet have been damaged, the girl will need to go for a major surgery.
Aswathi is currently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital since the incident occurred.
Aswathi comes from a very poor family. It is learned that she has taken admission the college after availing education loan of Rs 4 Lakh from Kerela Gramin Bank.
Aswathi’s mother has appealed to the Kerala chief minister and National Human Rights Commission demanding action against the culprits.
The police officials have registered the case. The SP said that “We are waiting for the transfer of the complaint lodged by the girl’s parents from Kozhikode police to Kalaburagi police. After getting the complaint and other details, we will start our inquiry.”
