Five students of a nursing college in Kerala’s Kottayam district were arrested for brutally ragging their juniors.

The extended ragging came to light after students filed a complaint with the police and led to the arrest of five third-year students of Government College of Nursing, Kottayam, identified as Samuel Johnson, NS Jeeva, KP Rahul Raj, C Rijil Jith and Vivek NP.

According to the police, the group had been harassing first-year nursing students in the name of ragging since November 2024.

Unable to bear the harassment any more, three first-year students filed a complaint with the nearby Gandhinagar police station.

The police said the complaint detailed the violent acts of harassment.

The accused, the police said, used to make cuts over the juniors’ bodies and then pour lotion on these cuts. When the victims cried out of pain, the accused would apply cream on their mouths and body parts.

The complaint also stated that the students were stripped naked and dumbbells were hung on their private parts. The accused also injured them using stationery instruments, including a compass.

All five students connected with the ragging were suspended by their college as well.

The college principal took action after conducting an investigation under the Anti-Ragging Act.

The Principal-in-charge, Dr. Lini Joseph said that the students had not informed the college about the ragging. “The parents called the class teacher to inform them about it. After receiving the complaint, a preliminary inspection was conducted and action was taken. A committee will be appointed today (February 12) for a detailed investigation. Decisions on further action against the students will be taken after that,” she said. 

Source: India Today