freshmen at the ANU College of Architecture and Planning have told the committee that is probing the death of architecture student M. Rishiteswari that they were indeed subjected to severe ragging and harassment on campus.
This deposition by classmates of Rishiteswari to a committee headed by retired IAS officer S. Balasubramaniam on Wednesday returns the focus to the alleged prevalence of bullying of juniors by seniors. Rishiteswari herself had noted in her diary that ``if anyone thinks there is no ragging on the university campus, they are mistaken, life is a hell on the campus.’’
First-year students came in a group to meet the committee at the university guest house and narrated many incidents of bullying that they had suffered. Prior to this, they went into a huddle in the studio cum design room.
``We have been ragged many times in the college as well as in the hostel. Most times, it starts around midnight, they (seniors) call us, order us to fetch them liquor and food. Sometimes, they parade us in the hostel,’’ said a first-year student.
The juniors spent an hour with the committee explaining their ordeal.
``We often thought of complaining against the harassment but could not muster the courage to do so. The seniors made us believe that no action would ever be taken against them,’’ said another student.
Probe committee member and registrar of Padmavathi University, P. Vijaya Lakshmi, later met the girl students separately and noted their version.
Some of the freshers also noted that seniors have been trying to mollify the juniors since the death of Rishiteshwari. ``They told us that we need not call them sir/madam and promised us to help us, but we are determined to testify to the committee,’’ said another student.
