Ragging row: Partha tells police to conduct probe

Kolkata: State Education minister Partha Chatterjee has directed the police administration to conduct a probe and take stringent action against those who have been involved in the ragging of a student of St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College in Amherst Street.

"I had communicated to the victim student on Sunday itself to lodge an FIR with the local police station and have directed the police administration to take action against the offender. I have also written to the college authorities and Calcutta University authorities instructing them to hold a probe and take action against those students irrespective of any party affiliation. The government will not tolerate such indecent things inside college premises," Chatterjee said.

Prodded by the Education minister, the college managing committee constituted an eight-member committee to probe the allegations of ragging.

"The committee will submit a report in seven days," a member of the college's managing committee said.

The college authorities have decided to prevent entry of anybody after the college hours and hence have decided to keep the gate locked after 5 pm.

A register will be in place and anybody apart from students, teachers or college staff will have to mention the reason for his entry to the college and then only he would be allowed to enter.

The victim's complaint with the police station mentions the name of three students — Arnab Ghosh, Sheikh Enamul Haque, Abhijit Dolui and another college staff. He was allegedly compelled to parade naked inside the union room of the college after he had enquired about the functioning of the college union fund. The video was then made viral.

Sourav Sardar, the general secretary of the college union said: "Some of the students collect money from others illegally in the name of union fund. The incident has been a fallout of this irregularity."

The college staff who was allegedly involved in the ragging incident has been suspended and will remain so till the probe is over.