Kerala seeks Karnataka's help in ragging case of Dalit nursing student

Kozhikode (Kerala) June 22: The Kerala Police has approached its Karnataka counterparts to register a case against two college students for brutally ragging a Dalit nursing student from Kerala.

Speaking to IANS, Jaleel Thotathil, Circle Inspector of Police, here said that they have recorded the statement of the 19-year-old victim who is presently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.

"Since the place of occurrence of the crime is in Karnataka where we have no jurisdiction, her statement has been recorded and through a special messenger we have send it to the Roza Police station at Gulbarga in Karnataka," said Thottathil.

"The two accused of brutally ragging the student both from Kerala are Lekshmi hailing from Kollam and Athira from Idukki. The charges that have been put up include attempt to murder besides sections in the Kerala Ragging Act and Atrocities under SC/ST Act," Thottathil added.

According to the victim, a first-year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, she was forced to drink a bathroom cleaning liquid last month was due to which she fell ill.

After spending a few days in a hospital in Karnataka, she was sent back home and has since been hospitalised at the state-run Medical College hospital at Thrissur.

Following the episode, she has developed serious oesophagus problems and she has been put on intravenous fluid supplements.

Her mother Janaki, on Wednesday told the media that the college authorities failed to act and has been protecting the accused.

Kerala Culture Minister A.K.Balan said the state will bear the entire treatment expenses of the victim and will take up the case with the Karnataka government.

IANS