Clashes erupted between two groups of students at ICFAI University in Tripura on Tuesday resulting in rustication of 9 students – which later was withdrawn – from the university boy’s hostel.
According to sources, on August 26, a final year girl student of the university was harassed by a first year student (both belonged to Tripura). She then informed this to some of the students, who later protested against the incident. Most of the protesters were from other states. Later, some of the third year students gathered at the boy’s hostel which resulted in a confrontation with the final year students.
The other side of the story says that the confrontation started when some of the senior students tried to rag a junior. They alleged that the clash was the result of a ragging case perpetrated by the seniors on the juniors.
“We request everyone to analyze the situation properly as whatever rumour and news being spread through the social media are all false and biased. This isn’t a case of ragging but the whole incident is portrayed this way as we protested the harassment,” a student of the university told The News Mill on condition of anonymity.
The other group said that they are often being harassed by the seniors in the name of ‘introduction’. “They (seniors) used to harass us and force us to introduce ourselves which is called ‘ragging’ and is against the law. We have complained several times to the university authorities but no action has been taken so far,” a student said.
“While this was never a Tripura vs other state issue, we were forced to leave the institute as it was not safe there,” said another student.
SDPO Rangadulal Debbarma, was quoted as saying by The Sangai Express that the whole issue was because of clash of egos between seniors and juniors. “We were here since morning and have talked with the students of third and fourth year and now everything is normal. No FIR has been registered as there was no physical scuffle,” he said.
A notification issued by the ICFAI University said that “with reference to the mishaps occurred in the boys’ hostel at night on August 26, 2019 some students have been found to be responsible for the act. Therefore, the university decided to rusticate them from the hostel till further order.”
However the rustication order was later withdrawn by the university authorities.
