Bhopal, Jul 28 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh police have booked nine senior medical students under the 'Anti-Ragging Act-2009' for their alleged involvement in forcing juniors to perform obscene acts and to use abusive language with girl students on the pretext of ragging.

The incident was reported in Indore's MGM college on Sunday and it came into light after a group of junior medical students informed the University Grand Commission's (UGC) Anti-Ragging helpline on Tuesday.

Acting on the basis of this information, the police registered a case under IPC sections dealing with obscene acts and criminal intimidation, besides provisions under the 'Anti-Ragging Act -2009' against senior MBBS students.

The police said it has identified nine senior MBBS students so far.

"So far, nine seniors MBBS students of MGM college, who are suspected to be involved in the alleged ragging of the juniors, have been identified. Also, notices were issued to at least 98 junior students under Section 161 CrPC to record their statements about the alleged ragging," a senior police officer told IANS on Thursday.

The juniors had made a unanimous complaint and had submitted audio-visual evidence, including WhatsApp chats.

According to the complaint, the junior students were confined to a flat, and their mobile phones were snatched from them. They were forced to do sit-ups, slap each other so hard that the sound is loud and clear, made to perform sex acts with a pillow or with batchmates, and compelled to make abusive comments about female batchmates.

As per the complaint, the juniors were tortured inside a house located near the college campus for up to five hours per visit. They were warned by the seniors against reporting the matter to the authorities otherwise "their five years in the college would be ruined."

The juniors said instead of helping them, some professors supported ragging. "There have been incidents when the professors have said ragging is necessary for personality development," the complaint said.