Three students charged with attempt to murder for ragging

Students deny they forced the victim to drink toilet cleaner, but admit they ragged her earlier

Three nursing students — Lakshmi, Athira and Krishna Priya — arrested by the Kalaburgi police in connection with the alleged incident of ragging of a Dalit nursing student K. P. Aswathy, have been charged with attempt to murder, ragging, provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Atrocity (Prevention) Act and other Sections of the Indian Penal Code.

All three girls, hailing from Kerala, were produced on Friday at the residence of a magistrate in Kalaburagi and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. While Krishna Priya was admitted to the government hospital after she complained of uneasiness, the other two students were lodged in the Central Prison in Kalaburagi.

Krishna Priya was also shifted to the prison after she was discharged.

The Kalaburagi police have initiated measures to speak to Shilpa Jose, the fourth accused who is believed to be in her native place in Kerala. A police team is likely to visit her native place in a day or two.

Girls deny involvement

Officials involved in the questioning of the accused said before their arrest on Friday, all three girls denied their involvement in the episode in which Ms Aswathy was allegedly forced to consume toilet cleaner.

However, they admitted to ragging the victim a month prior to the incident. They also said the victim might have consumed the toilet cleaner due to personal reasons or family problems.

During the questioning, it was revealed that Ms Aswathy was first admitted to the Bahamani Hospital and, on the advice of doctors, shifted to the Basaveshwar Teaching and General Hospital. Endoscopy done

The Karnataka police team camping in Kozhikode to collect a statement from Ms Aswathy did not meet her on Saturday, as a senior officer from Kalaburagi could not join the team as planned earlier.

On Saturday, an endoscopy was carried out on Ms Aswathy at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, as a result of which one-fourth of the block in her esophagus has been cleared. Medical Superintendent K.C. Soman told The Hindu that another endoscopy would be done on Tuesday. Her condition was stable.