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Raipur, November 16, 2024 — Allegations of ragging have emerged at AIIMS Raipur, prompting swift action from both the institution and legal authorities. An anonymous letter detailing the incident was sent to Meera Patel, a Supreme Court lawyer and convenor of the Society Against Violence in Education (SAVE), raising serious concerns over the treatment of MBBS students in the 2023 batch.
The letter, which was forwarded to AIIMS Raipur’s administration, described a harrowing ordeal where junior students were allegedly forced to endure ragging by senior students. According to the account, the freshmen were summoned to a room at midnight by their seniors, where they were locked in and subjected to physical and mental harassment until 3 am. The letter claims that the students were forced to stand for extended periods, with some fainting due to exhaustion.
The ragging took a disturbing turn when the juniors were reportedly forced to walk on the basketball court in only T-shirts in the cold, their phones confiscated, and the harassment continued throughout the night. The letter also named the seniors accused of involvement in the incident, further intensifying the allegations.
In response, Meera Patel forwarded the complaint to AIIMS Raipur, urging the institution to take immediate action. Patel, who leads SAVE, a group dedicated to combating violence in educational institutions, emphasized the seriousness of the matter and called for a thorough investigation.
AIIMS Raipur’s spokesperson, Mrityunjay Rathore, responded to the allegations, reiterating the institute’s firm stance on ragging, describing it as a zero-tolerance policy. He further assured that junior and senior students are housed separately to prevent such incidents. An anti-ragging committee has already launched an investigation, with the administration working to address the complaint.
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from the medical community. Dr. Rakesh Gupta of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Raipur, expressed grave concern, describing the incident as “extremely worrying.” He reminded the public of India’s strict laws against ragging, which include penalties such as a fine of Rs 10,000 or imprisonment for up to two years for those found guilty. This marks the second reported case of ragging at AIIMS Raipur, highlighting an ongoing issue that the institution and authorities are committed to addressing.
The case is now under investigation, with both the institution and legal bodies working to ensure that justice is served and that such incidents are prevented in the future.
