New Delhi: A first-year student at a medical college in Gujarat has reportedly died after being forced to stand for three hours as part of a ragging ritual by senior students. Anil Methania, who had enrolled at GMERS Medical College and Hospital in Dharpur Patan this year, was allegedly made to stand for hours by third-year students as part of an “introduction” session. “Introduction,” or “intro,” is a term commonly used for ragging activities on campus, where seniors harass freshers.
After standing for three hours, Anil reportedly collapsed and lost consciousness. He was rushed to the hospital and recorded a statement with the police, confirming he had been forced to stand for the duration. Anil died shortly after. His body has been sent for an autopsy, which is expected to shed more light on the cause of death.
Anil’s cousin, Dharmendra, from Surendranagar district in Gujarat, over 150 km away from the college, shared that they received a call from the college informing them of Anil’s collapse and hospitalization. Upon arrival, they learned that he had been ragged by third-year students. “We want justice,” Dharmendra said.
Hardik Shah, the dean of the medical college, stated, “As soon as we learned that he had collapsed, we rushed him to the hospital. He informed the police that he was ragged and forced to stand for three hours. We have notified both the authorities and the family, and we will ensure strict action is taken.”
Senior police officer KK Pandya confirmed that the student’s father had filed a complaint, and a case of accidental death has been registered. “The autopsy has been completed, and we’ve requested the medical report to clarify the cause of death. Based on the findings, we will decide on further steps,” he said. When asked about the ragging aspect, Pandya added, “We have requested detailed information from the college regarding this matter.”
The University Grants Commission, the higher education regulator, has implemented a nationwide ban on ragging in all forms across educational campuses. It has directed affiliated institutions to take stringent action against anyone found guilty of ragging or encouraging such activities.
