PU anti-ragging panel expels UICET student from hostel

Punjab University has taken a strict view of the University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology ragging incident,permanently expelling the accused Sahil Gupta from the PU hostel along with a fine of Rs 25,000 and other penalties.

Punjab University (PU) has taken a strict view of the University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (UICET) ragging incident,permanently expelling the accused Sahil Gupta from the PU hostel along with a fine of Rs 25,000 and other penalties. The presence of two more students along with Sahil had been mentioned in the complainants statements but he failed to identify them before the sub-committee today.

After taking into consideration the gravity of the offence as established by the sub-committee constituted by the Panjab University and as per University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations,the sub-committee unanimously recommended the punishments against Sahil Gupta,second year student of the five-year integrated course at UICET.

The statements of both the Sahil and Saksham were recorded today by the sub-committee constituted by the University anti-ragging committee. Though the committee could not establish the gravity of the offence to be of a very serious nature,it decided to send a strong message to all by expelling him from the hostel.

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No legal action was taken against him. For the remaining four years of his course,he has been debarred to avail the hostel accommodation facility of the University.

Sahil Gupta is a resident of Jagadhri,district Yamunanagar. The Dean University Instructions (DUI) Prof B S Brar said,Though the boy in his statements admitted that he got panicky,there was enough evidence of mental harassment but no physical trespass could be established in the report.

The DUI had also received a letter from the Chandigarh DSP office in the evening on Friday to make appropriate arrangements into the case for its investigation and revert with the action taken within a week. The action taken report along with the copy of the sub-committee report has been simultaneously submitted to the police, said the DUI.

The committee concluded,The complainant,Saksham Bhatnagar informed his father under the grip of fear and panic and in reaction his father sent the e-mail addressed to the Department with the request to kindly step up the vigil of the anti-ragging cell and counsel students to desist from such criminal activities so as to avoid harassment to all first year students. Subsequently,he withdrew his complaint by sending three e-mails to the Department with a request that it was not his intention to give such a high priority that would require filing an FIR or suspending and sealing his hostel room.

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Sakshams parents were also present on the campus today and met University officials and members of the sub-committee. A S Bhatnagar,Sakshams father is a senior railway official and a resident of Faridabad.

He wanted to give his statements too but the sub-committee did not approve of that though he met with the members unofficially and presented the similar views which he had expressed in his e-mail, said a sub-committee member.

After receiving a complaint from Saksham along with a similar e-mail complaint from his father,Sahil Gupta was suspended from the Department and his room was locked till further orders. In his complaint,he had mentioned that he was told to accompany the seniors to the mess and then to the Department.