In a serious incident at Al-Ameen Medical College in Vijayapura, Karnataka, five senior MBBS students were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly ragging and assaulting a second-year student from Kashmir. The incident happened during a cricket match between the 2019 and 2022 MBBS batches.
The arrested students are Mohammed Zainul (23), Sameer (24), Shaik Sawood (23), Mansoor Bhasha (24), and Muzzaffer, also known as Mujeeb Jamadar (23). They have been charged under Indian laws related to ragging and education.
According to the victim, Hamim Ghulam Bhat, he went to watch the cricket match when some seniors told him to leave. When he refused, they forced him to do embarrassing things, like dancing and saluting, while verbally abusing him. Later that night, a group of seniors entered his hostel room, beat him up, and made him record an apology video. They also threatened him, saying he should not play cricket for the next four years and that they would make his time at college very difficult.
After Bhat filed a complaint, the police started an investigation and arrested the accused students, who are now in police custody.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has strongly condemned the incident and called for action from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Nasir Khuehami, the national convenor of JKSA, said this incident shows a pattern of harassment faced by Kashmiri students in schools and colleges. He emphasized that this is not just about ragging; it is a serious safety issue for students. The association has urged the Karnataka government and the college to ensure the safety of non-local students and to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
