The Naga Students’ Union Shillong has claimed that news reports stating that North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has handed over reports of the Fact Finding Committee to the ragging victim’s family was “false and fabricated information”. NSUS has also questioned the commitment of the University’s Vice Chancellor’s seriousness on the matter of ragging as the Union doubts “his sincerity to solve this case and bring justice to the victim”
A Naga student studying in NEHU, Tura Campus, Meghalaya has alleged ragging by a group of boys at Arbella Boys Hostel, Chasingre, Tura, NEHU Campus on 8th October where he was humiliated and threatened. Out of fear, the student fled home and filed an FIR in South Kohima Police Station. The sluggish action from the University has raised doubts on its commitment to catch and punish the perpetrators.
NSUS informed in a press release that NEHU VC, Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla called a meeting with the Naga students in the university where he refused to hand over documents agreed upon during the previous meeting held on 16th October 2023 to be submitted to the victim’s family by the VC’s nominee, the Registrar, Prof. S.R. Joshi.
The documents include-
a) A veritable copy of the FIR said to have been submitted by the Vice Chancellor to the Tura Police on 14th October, 2023
b) An authentic copy of the report compiled by the internal Fact Finding Committee on this case.
c) A formally endorsed missive from the Vice Chancellor assuring that NEHU is resolutely committed to taking appropriate measures, in strict compliance with the UGC Anti-Ragging Laws, regardless of whether the police investigation will garner results.
NSUS said that the VC had insisted that documents were “official and confidential” as against his promise and also said that “the matter is now out of his hands.”
The VC, while refusing to submit these documents, also divulged how the FIR said to have been filed by him, was actually in fact filed by the Campus Director of Tura, Prof. Sujata Gurudev, NSUS stated.
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Further, the Union accused the VC of making callous and casual remarks- “the family has to handle the situation” and “the boy has to, after some point of time, come out of his trauma” – when asked about the NEHU’s plans to aid the victim’s psychological and academic stagnation. “Only after much debate from the Naga students of NEHU present at the meeting did the VC agree to assign an MBBS doctor to counsel the victim,” NSUS mentioned.
Adding to its disappointment, the Union informed that VC Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla refused to sign the letter with the Charter of Demands from the Victim’s Family and the Naga students of NEHU, along with NSUS, Shillong, Naga Elder’s Forum, Shillong, and NEHUSU, Shillong.
Attached below is a copy of the letter submitted to the VC of NEHU in the meeting he called on October 18, 2023 among the Naga students of NEHU.
“To,
The Vice Chancellor NEHU, Shillong.
Date: 18th October, 2023 Dear Sir,
We, on behalf of the victim, and with complete support and understanding from his family, thank the Honourable Vice Chancellor of NEHU, Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla for his initiative in taking up the task to solve and take action against the perpetrators of the devastating ragging event that occurred in NEHU, Tura Campus on October 8, 2023. We are aware and informed that an FIR has been lodged by NEHU to the authorities of Tura Police on October 14, 2023 to continue on the investigations in a thorough fashion as the Fact Finding Committee has been unable to unearth proper evidence. We believe that the VC is earnest in his duties to solve this issue as soon as possible in defence and support of the victim and punish any and all parties included in this incident, as per UGC’s Anti-Ragging Rules.
We care for the reputation of both the University and the Vice Chancellor, and thus hope that this matter can be put to rest in total satisfaction for the victim, his family, and the larger union bodies which include the Naga students of NEHU, Naga Elders Forum, Shillong, and NEHUSU. For this, we support and urge both the VC of NEHU and the Tura Police to keep a proper and open channel of communication with us as the investigation continues. We ask this as we are also aware that the Honourable Vice Chancellor will be visiting NEHU Tura Campus tomorrow October 19, 2023 for the purpose of solving this incident.
We believe that the VC of NEHU cares not only to right the injustice done towards the victim, who is his own student under NEHU, but also because of his zeal to safeguard the University where his office presides over. NEHU, in this manner, as a central university should not fall under any consequences due to the act of a few miscreants and that neither the name of the University, nor the name of the VC should be tarnished and become attached to notoriety in the eyes of the students, the public, and the nation at large.
In addition, the following documents of guarantee of trust and communication is asked on our part:
1. Regular reporting, through an open channel of communication, from the VC of NEHU or his office, with the victim’s family as to how the investigations of Tura Police are going on.
2. An open declaration from the VC condemning the catastrophic events of ragging at NEHU, Tura.
3. An open discussion and information on what NEHU wishes to do to alleviate the mental and academic trauma of the victim as a student of NEHU.
4. Submission of the promised THREE documents as discussed during the previous meeting on October 16, 2023, between the Naga unions, NEHUSU, and the Registrar of NEHU, and Chancellor of the Fact Finding Committee:
a) A veritable copy of the FIR said to have been submitted by the Vice Chancellor to the Tura Police on 14th October, 2023
b) An authentic copy of the report compiled by the internal Fact Finding Committee on this case.
c) A formally endorsed missive from the Vice Chancellor assuring that NEHU is resolutely committed to taking appropriate measures, in strict compliance with the UGC Anti-Ragging Laws, regardless of whether the police investigation will garner results.
With thanks and hope,
The Victim’s Family and the Naga students of NEHU, along with NSUS, Shillong, Naga Elder’s Forum, Shillong, and NEHUSU, Shillong.”
Meanwhile, Shillong Times has reported that investigation by West Garo Hills (WGH) Police has thrown up some leads into the case of ragging of a Nagaland student, however, the investigation has currently been put on hold following the university declaring holidays for Durga Puja.
“We have certain leads that we are pursuing but will have to wait until the students return from the holidays. We are hopeful of a breakthrough once we have all information into the case,” Shillong Times quoted WGH SP Abraham T Sangma.
The newspaper also stated, “While an internal investigation by the university provided no breakthrough, many criticised it for not seeking support from the state police for what is essentially a criminal case. No official communication had been made with the WGH police by NEHU despite the administration claiming that they would seek help from them.”
