Supreme Court asks state govts to set up committees to prevent ragging

New Delhi, May 7(ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday asked all State Governments to set up committees to prevent incidents of ragging in educational institutions across the country.

A Bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat said educational institutions would also have to take measures for the de-addiction of alcoholic students.

Passing strict directives, the apex court said every college should have a psychiatrist to provide counsel to the students.

All State Governments have been asked to give an undertaking to the court about the steps taken by them to eradicate the menace.

In March, the apex court had issued notices to the Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh Governments, on the death of first-year medical science student Aman Kachroo due to ragging, and an attempt-to-suicide case by a female student of the Bapatla Agricultural and Engineering College after she was allegedly forced to dance nude by her seniors.

Nineteen-year-old Kachroo was mercilessly beaten to death by four seniors on March 8 at his Rajendra Prasad Medical College hostel in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Distrcit. The accused have been booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Supreme Court had issued a contempt notice to the two colleges as the incidents were in gross violation of the court's directives to check ragging in educational institutions.

The Prevention of the Ragging in Colleges and Institutions Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2005.

The Bill makes ragging punishable with imprisonment up to three years and a fine of Rs 25,000. (ANI)