05-08-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha: Students of Sambalpur varsity face action over threat message to juniors
SAMBALPUR: A day after first-year students of Brahmani Girls' Hostel in Sambalpur University were allegedly subjected to intimidation by their seniors, the state government on Monday sought an urgent report from the authorities of the educational institution on the matter.
The Higher Education department directed vice-chancellor Prof Bidhu Bhusan Mishra to submit a detailed report on the incident immediately. Following the directive, the university convened an emergency meeting of the anti-ragging committee and formed a fact-finding team to inquire into the matter. Subsequently, several senior postgraduate students were made to submit written undertakings, declaring not to repeat such behaviour in the future.
Sources said on Sunday, a WhatsApp message reportedly sent by a second-year student was circulated in the hostel group. In the message, all first-year students were instructed to attend a meeting at 10.15 pm with a warning that those who fail to comply would be forcibly removed from their rooms. Intimidated by the tone of the message, the juniors showed up at the study hall in the night. They were reportedly forced to surrender their mobile phones and made to stand for nearly two hours. The meeting, which continued till midnight, allegedly involved humiliating instructions.
In-charge registrar Ashok Behera said the students who had sent the message clarified that they had no intention of ragging. However, the tone of the message and the time at which it was sent to first-year students was not appropriate. Though the second-year students have already submitted undertakings, the fact-finding team is continuing its investigation. The students holding posts in the hostel committees have been stripped of their responsibilities as a direct consequence of their involvement, Behera added.
