Madhurjya Barukial's death: Can role of ragging be ruled out?

          Now that the death of Madhurjya Barukial, a student of Assam Engineering College, has come to light, there should be proper inquiry or else, the facts will always be under cover. How could it be possible that a boy who didn't know how to swim will go to a pond deep enough just to have a bath? Where were those friends at that moment who played football together? Is this a case of accidental death or homicide? There arise so many questions.

            What is happening in Assam Engineering College (AEC) is pathetic. I was there in AEC at Hostel No-1 in 1999 for about 4 months before joining MBBS course. Short introduction and somewhat funny is acceptable, but I witnessed those inhumane behaviour of some of the seniors in the name of ragging. The response of the college authority was also totally disappointing. After about 1 month of my admission to Engineering course, for one night I stayed with my father at the AEC guest house because of my high grade fever. Same night someone from the 3rd semester complained to the Principal regarding ongoing ragging in the hostel premises. It was good that the Principal went to the hostel during that night itself and caught some of the seniors red handed. But in the next morning all those "famous" seniors pointed their heavy fingers at me for the "conspiracy" about which I was totally unaware of. They even threatened me, saying that I would face the consequences as soon as my father leaves Guwahati and a special treatment was awaiting me that night. My father instantly took the decision to shift me and arranged for paying guest facility for my stay and I bid good bye to the hostel life at AEC. I didn't complain anything as it was just a threatening, but the college authority didn't take any action against those seniors whom they caught red handed. The authority handled the situation in a very diplomatic way. Only god knows what would have been my fate in case I stayed there that night. Hope I could have taken some drastic steps against those seniors at that time itself.

            12 long years passed since the incident that I have mentioned. But the question is, has the situation changed? Only few months back I examined one student from AEC with superficial corneal opacity (result of ragging). Should it be somewhat more severe or in case there was infection, the student might lose sight of that eye. The student did not want to complain, so I had to record in my note as “accidental injury”.

            Tough laws have been passed against ragging, but our attitude have not changed. We just think that these just happens. In my time I didn't complain, and now also only very few of the newcomers come forward against those until and unless something drastic happens. Some of the institutions also try to hide the facts. If it goes on like this, more lives will be ruined and we will have to just wait and watch for a miracle to happen.