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Ragging: `culprits being protected'

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 22. The Latheen Katholikka Aikya Vedi has demanded stringent action against the seven final year students of the Government Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram, who have been accused of seriously assaulting G.G. Macdonnel, a first year student of the MCA course in the college, on last Tuesday.

James Fernandez and Neyyattinkara Xavier, president and general secretary of the Vedi, alleged that a group of students had been continuously harassing Macdonnel, both physically and mentally, from the day he joined the college three months back.

The student had also been ill treated and the community to which he belonged, abused, in an organised manner.

It was only after he was cruelly assaulted using weapons within the campus that he revealed the ill treatment meted out to him and subsequently made a formal complaint, said Gerard T.G. and Ann Gerard, the parents of the victim, who were also present along with the leaders of the Vedi.

The student, who was still under treatment at the General Hospital here, was facing severe threat from the culprits. There was also threat to his life. He was not in a position to appear for the examinations scheduled to begin tomorrow, his parents said. Even though a police case was registered, based on the compliant, no arrests have been made yet. Even the two of the accused who were dismissed from the college have been spared. Further, there were also organised attempts to protect the guilty, they alleged.

The issue has been brought to the attention of the Chief Minister and other top officials concerned. They have promised to do the needful, Mr. Gerard said.

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission has directed the Principal of the college to appear before it on February 28.

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