Shimla: Two Medical College students suspended for hostel rule violation linked to ragging

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 15 (ANI): The Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla has suspended two second-year MBBS students for three months and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each for violating hostel rules in an incident linked to ragging, officials said on Sunday.
The disciplinary action was taken following an alleged incident at the college hostel three days ago, in which two senior students reportedly called junior students to the hostel in violation of established institutional norms. As per IGMC rules, junior students are not permitted to enter or stay in hostels until official hostel accommodation is assigned to them.
College authorities said an internal inquiry was initiated soon after the matter came to light. The probe concluded that while the incident did not amount to grave or severe ragging, it constituted a serious breach of discipline and hostel regulations. Based on the findings, the matter was referred to the disciplinary committee, which examined the case in detail and recommended strict action.
Accordingly, the two students were suspended from academic activities for three months and fined Rs 50,000 each. The rooms where the junior students were allegedly taken were also inspected as part of the inquiry. The disciplinary committee issued a stern warning, stating that any repetition of such incidents would result in more stringent punishment.
Dr Jagjeet Singh Chahal, Member Secretary of the Anti-Ragging Committee at IGMC Shimla, told ANI that the incident was monitored via CCTV surveillance and the hostel's anti-ragging vigilance mechanisms. "Two second-year students were found involved in ragging three junior students. Action has been taken, and both have been fined Rs 50,000 each along with a warning for the future," he said.
Another member of the disciplinary committee stated that although the case technically fell under the category of ragging, it was not considered extremely serious; therefore, disciplinary action was deemed appropriate rather than invoking the provisions of the Ragging Act.
The IGMC administration reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards ragging and indiscipline, stressing that hostel rules and student safety would be enforced strictly. The official response of the college administration, however, could not be obtained despite repeated attempts at the time of filing this report. (ANI)