Odisha: College girl student commits suicide due to ragging by seniors

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Monday witnessed a ruckus during zero hour on the alleged death of a girl student in BJB Autonomous College here allegedly due to ragging.

As soon as the house began at 1030 hrs, the BJP and the Congress members rushed to the well-shouted slogans demanding Speaker Bikram Arukh to discuss the BJB college issue.

They also urged the Speaker to direct the Higher Education Minister to make a statement in the house on the issue.

The Opposition members alleged that ragging was going on in all colleges and the anti-ragging squad was not functioning. The government, they alleged, was not taking any steps to prevent the crime.

As the house plunged into a chaotic situation. The Speaker appealed to the Opposition members to go to their seats, cooperate in the smooth conduct of the business of the house and raise the issue during the zero hours.

But it failed to yield any result forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house at 1035 hrs till 1130hrs.

Amidst the agitation by the opposition members, the Minister of State for Home replied to a question of Sanjeev Kumar Mallik (BJD) barring that question the rest of the question hour was washed out.

After the house was reassembled at 1130hrs, the opposition members reiterated their demand for a discussion and demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.

BJP Deputy leader Bishnu Charan Sethi, BJP Chief Whip Mohan Majhi and Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong) demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.

Majhi alleged ragging was rampant in many colleges of the state and claimed that as many as 3163 students have died following ragging in the state during the last five years.

He alleged that the anti-ragging squad was not working and the government was not taking any steps to prevent ragging in the educational institutions.

Bishnu Sethi said the government should hand over the case to CBI and take stern action against the guilty to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents in future.

Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Cong) demanded the Chief Minister enact an Anti Ragging Act to create a sense of fear in the minds of the students. He also urged the Speaker to direct the Higher Education Minister to move a bill in this regard.

His party colleague Suresh Chandra Routray demanded the Chief Minister to personally intervene in the matter and implement various orders of the Supreme Court and the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee on ragging.

After listening to the members, the Speaker directed the Minister of State for Home to make a statement on the issue before the house was adjourned for the day on Monday.

Ruchika Mohanty a plus three first-year student of History (Hons) allegedly committed suicide in the BJB college hostel on Saturday.

A suicide note found by the police purportedly written by Ruchika said she took the extreme step as she could not tolerate harassment made by three of her seniors.

Meanwhile, Police have constituted a committee into the incidents. Parents and members of some organisations are sitting on a dharna in front of the college demanding justice for the deceased girl. (UNI)