Kerala HC has asked the state to introduce a strict law with harsh punishment for ragging. The court made the remarks while hearing a case related to a student’s suicide after brutal ragging.
The Kerala High Court has strongly urged the state government to introduce a tough and clear law with strict punishments to stop ragging in colleges and universities.
The court said that this kind of strict law is necessary because ragging is still happening and has even led to the death of students due to the violent and uncontrolled behaviour of their fellow students.
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The Bench, led by Justice D K Singh, said,
“such a measure is essential to curb the menace that continues to claim the lives of students due to the unruly and violent conduct of undisciplined peers.”
The court also added that the state must take action and make sure that people who are found guilty of ragging are punished and not allowed to escape responsibility.
The court made these comments while hearing the petitions filed by M K Narayanan and R Kanthanathan, who are the dean and the assistant hostel warden, respectively, of the Pookode campus of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.
They had filed petitions against the disciplinary actions started against them after the tragic suicide of J S Sidharthan, a second-year BVSc student, who reportedly faced serious ragging by other students.
The Kerala High Court, after hearing the case, decided to close the petitions. However, it allowed the university to go ahead with the internal inquiry against the two staff members and asked the university to complete the departmental proceedings within three months.
It also told the dean and the assistant warden that they must fully cooperate with the inquiry. The court also gave a clear direction to the university that strong and proper action must be taken against the students who are found responsible for the death of J S Sidharthan.
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Sidharthan was found hanging in the bathroom of the men’s hostel on February 18, 2024. After this unfortunate incident, the university vice-chancellor suspended both the petitioners on March 5, 2024, and formed a three-member inquiry committee.
The committee gave a report holding both the dean and the assistant warden
“jointly liable for failing to discharge their duties and responsibilities.”
Later, the Chancellor of the university appointed Justice A Hariprasad, a retired High Court judge, to look into the failures in the campus and hostel management.
His detailed report found that
“the dean failed in his responsibilities as warden” and that “the assistant warden also failed to enforce discipline in the men’s hostel.”
The report was also
“critical of the conduct of the vice-chancellor.”
The two petitioners had challenged not only the disciplinary proceedings but also the letter sent by the Chancellor on August 12, 2024, which asked for action to be taken under the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 2010, and also told the university’s management council to respond within 45 days.
The petitioners argued that the Chancellor did not have any authority under the law to begin or order disciplinary action against them.
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But the High Court did not accept their arguments.
It ruled that
“the chancellor has wide and overarching powers under the Act, including the authority to issue directions to the university authorities, who are duty-bound to comply.”
Case Title:
M.K. Narayanan & R. Kanthanathan v. Chancellor, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University & Others
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