Bolangir: The death of Nishant Kumar, 19, a first year MBBS student at Bolangir-based Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital (BBMCH), allegedly due to ragging took a new turn Thursday after WhatsApp chats revealed involvement of some lecturers in the ragging.
Fresh WhatsApp chats that have gone viral on social media reveal that Nishant was not only ragged by his seniors, but also by his teachers. Nishant’s father Krishna Kumar has brought serious allegations of sexual harassment, ragging and mental and physical torture on some seniors and lecturers.
In a written complaint to Bolangir SP Nitin Kusalkar, he demanded immediate justice for his son and sought stringent action against those responsible for his death. He has also sought the intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) through Twitter.
In a chat with his friend, Nishant had revealed how seniors and professors tortured juniors in the college. The lecturers here force juniors to write the laboratory manuals of senior students. Furthermore, the juniors who have good handwriting are tortured to do all the homework of the seniors. Instead of taking action against ragging, the professors allegedly take the side of the seniors and make fun of juniors.
Nishant further alleged sexual harassment on juniors in the WhatsApp chat. The seniors had created WhatsApp groups and were calling the juniors for ragging late in the night.
Demanding immediate arrest of the teacher involved in the ‘heinous act’, Nishant’s father sent a copy of the WhatsApp chats to the SP.
Nishant died after allegedly falling off the roof of the hostel April 23, 2022. A native of Karnal in Haryana, Nishant was staying in the four-storied new Boys’ Hostel. Family members have alleged that he was ‘murdered’.
Worth mentioning, a girl student had committed suicide in this state-run medical college last year.