KADAPA: Ragging is an ugly manifestation of sadism and will not be tolerated in any form, Collector M.T. Krishna Babu said on Monday.

Addressing a meeting with correspondents, principals and students of higher education institutions at Sabha Bhavan here, the Collector called for concerted and united efforts to check ragging. Some maniacs subject many innocent students to humiliation and leave them in a state of depression, forcing some to resort to the extreme step, he said.

Mr. Krishna Babu welcomed a suggestion made by managements of educational institutions to bar conduct of Freshers' Day celebrations and suggested meetings with students' groups in this regard.

He exhorted managements to take steps to check direct contact between first and final year students to minimise scope for ragging. He suggested formation of committees with lecturers and senior students to monitor ragging.

`No major instance'

The Collector recommended stern action against those resorting to ragging as a deterrent. He urged correspondents and principals to initiate action against erring students. Counselling, regulation and supervision were vital, he said and added there was no major instance of ragging in the district.

Mr. Krishna Babu directed removal of all the kiosks along the compound wall of Government girls junior college here within a fortnight on a teacher's complaint that the kiosks gave scope for eve-teasers to hang around.

Advice to students

He advised students to choose courses based on market analyses and master their subject for a bright future.

Parents in India looked after their children till they attained 25 years of age unlike abroad, he said, and asked students not to misuse the freedom.

Superintendent of Police Y. Nagi Reddy said committees with management and student representatives should be formed in colleges as per Section 7 of Prohibition of Ragging Act. He wanted Freshers Day functions to be brief.

Narrating provisions under Section 4, he said six months imprisonment or Rs.1,000 fine or both would be imposed in cases of humiliation and mental harassment, one year imprisonment and Rs. 2,000 fine or both for beating or coercion, two years jail or Rs. 5,000 fine or both for illegal detention, five years imprisonment and Rs.10,000 fine for grievous injury and kidnap and 10 years imprisonment and Rs. 50,000 fine for murder or abetment of murder.

Sounds warning

Mr. Nagi Reddy warned that managements of educational institutions who fail to initiate action would be liable for action. Principal of Annamayya Engineering College Prabhakar Rao, Principal of YSRM Degree College Ramakrishna Reddy and Principal of SV Degree College Ramakrishna Reddy spoke against ragging.

The Collector and SP released a poster against ragging. Kadapa DSP Ramaprasdada Rao presided, other DSPs, CIs and SIs took part.

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