Kozhikode, Jun 22 (PTI) : Five students of a nursing college in Karnataka have been booked in connection with the alleged ragging of a first-year Dalit girl student, who has been hospitalised here with severe stomach problems, police said.
The case was registered against Lakshmi of Kollam, Athira of Idukki and Krishna, Shilpa and Joe of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Kalaburagi, based on a statement from the 19-year-old victim, who is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, Sub Inspector of KMCH Police Station, Habib said.
He said the girl had named only five of the eight seniors who were involved.
The SI said her condition was now stable.
A copy of the FIR had been sent to Kalaburagi Police commissioner for further investigation into the matter, he said.
Police said the victim was allegedly forced to drink toilet-cleaning lotion by eight of her seniors, who are all from Kerala, on May 9.
Following the incident, she was admitted to a private hospital in Kalaburagi with serious stomach problems.
As her condition worsened after five days of treatment, she was sent back home along with another Keralite student.
The girl was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital, after which she was referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2.
Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU.
Cases were booked under various sections of IPC,including 307 (attempt to murder), 36 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) and various sections of SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, they said.
Earlier report
Ragging at Kalaburagi nursing college - Kerala girl fights for life
Daijiworld Media Network - Kalaburagi (SP)
Kalaburagi, Jun 22: In a shocking incident which occurred at nursing college at Kalaburagi, a Kerala-based nursing student was allegedly forced to drink phenyl. The girl is going through hell at a hospital at Kozhikode near her native place.
Ashwithi happens to be a first semester student of BSc (nursing) degree course at Al Qamar Nursing College on Hagaraga Road Kalaburagi. During May this year, college had holiday but she had stayed here as supplementary examinations were to be held. On May 9, she had consumed phenyl kept in the washroom of the hostel. She had suffered from acute stomach pain then, and was admitted in Basaveshwara Hospital at Kalaburagi. After four days, she showed signs of improvement and was discharged. She continued to stay in hostel room for three more days before leaving with some friends to her native place, Malappuram.
When staying at her native place, she again suffered from after-affects of phenyl consumption. At present her condition is said to be serious. Her parents have since filed complaint in local police station stating that someone had forcibly made their daughter to consume phenyl.
On Tuesday June 21, superintendent of police of Kalaburagi, N Shashikumar, additional superintendent of police, Jayaprakash,deputy superintendents of police, Vijay Anchi and Udaykumar Bevinagida and others visited the hostel at Roja area of the city. They also collected details by questioning the warden, administrative officer, and girl students.
Principal of the college, Esther, said that ragging is not allowed in the hostel of the college and that Ashwithi had said during her admission into hospital that she consumed toilet cleaner because of family problems. The college authorities also have information that the girl had attempted suicide once earlier when in Kerala before joining this college here.
However, it is gathered that the versions presented by those who are maintaining the hostels, information got by the police, and the details given in the complaint filed in police station at Kerala do not match with each other. Therefore, a detailed investigation alone can bring out the truth, whether there was ragging actually or whether the student consumed phenyl, having been hurt by ragging by fellow students.