NEHU ragging case: No headway in probe even after 6 days

KOHIMA — Naga student bodies in Shillong are awaiting the outcome of the investigation by the Meghalaya police and fact-finding committee of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) that was constituted to probe into the alleged ragging of a first semester student from Nagaland, on October 8 at Arbella Boys’ Hostel.

President of Angami Students’ Union Shillong, Ruokuohuzo Khiezhie told Eastern Mirror that both the West Garo Hills police and NEHU fact-finding committee are “investigating” the incident separately.

The university has told us to wait for the committee’s finding, which is expected to be submitted on Monday or Tuesday, Khiezhie said.

On this, he said the union along with the Naga Students’ Union (NSU) Shillong, will take necessary steps if the result is not in their favour.

The university, on October 12, constituted a fact-finding committee led by Prof. Lucy Zehol, Dean of the School of Human and Environmental Sciences, following the student body’s meeting with the vice chancellor of the university on October 11.

Meanwhile, sources informed that an FIR filed on the matter at a police station in Kohima district, has been “emailed” to the West Garo Hills Police Station, as the incident happened within their jurisdiction. Accordingly, the West Garo Hills police have initiated investigation into the matter.

It was reported that on October 8, around 1:30 to 2:00 am, about five-six seniors ragged a first semester student from Nagaland enrolled in the department of Agri-Business Management, at NEHU Tura campus and staying at Arbella Boys’ Hostel.

There was “no power” at the time of the incident, leaving the victim unable to identify the perpetrators, according to reports.

Further details of the ragging incident revealed that he was “called out alone” by the seniors into a room, locked and forced him to introduce himself in Hindi, the language he is not fluent in.

Upon learning that he is from Nagaland, one of them asked him to dance “naked”. Despite pleading them to stop, they warned him to pack his bags and leave instantly, if he didn’t want to follow their instructions.

In the FIR, he also accused the perpetrators of threatening to expose him if he reports the incident to anyone.

The victim, who left the hostel and returned to his home state Nagaland, has urged the concerned authority to take necessary action against the culprits so that “no such terror and menial acts is continued in the future, and to give him a sense of justice”.

Also read: ASU calls for justice after ragging incident at NEHU’s hostel campus in Tura