Andhra: Video Of College Students Thrashing Junior Surfaces In Narasaraopet, Sparks Political Row

While the seniors involved had since graduated from Sri Subbaraya and Narayana College in Narasaraopet, a hunt was launched to apprehend them.

A video surfaced on social media showing students from Sri Subbaraya and Narayana College in Narasaraopet engaged in a brutal act of ragging. The footage revealed senior students violently assaulting their juniors in a boy’s hostel. Six persons have been identified in connection with the incident.

The video showed each victim being dragged into a room, beaten with sticks, and subjected to vile language. The seniors also laughed loudly after subjecting the juniors into the assault. The abuse continued unabated. The video revealed the victims' desperate pleas for mercy, which were ignored by their seniors. The incident occurred in February and the abuse was not reported to the college management at the time due to fear of retaliation.

Police reports indicated that six students were identified from the video. While the seniors involved had since graduated, a hunt was launched to apprehend them. One suspect had already been taken into custody.

Inspector Reddy of the local police force emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents immediately. However, upon receiving a complaint, the police acted swiftly, filing a case under various sections of the Prohibition of Ragging Act, 2011.

However, the incident led to war of words between YSRCP and TDP leaders. 

YSRCP, TDP Leaders Clash Over 'Ragging' Incident

Soon after the incident came to light, it snowballed into a political controversy in Andhra Pradesh. The YSR Congress Party criticised the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over the incident. They took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the video of the incident and alleged that it was the state's law and order situation. In response, the Home Minister swiftly pointed out that the incident occurred when the YSRCP was in power. The TDP took office in June after a landslide victory in the the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

 

 

In 2022, 18 students were suspended for ragging from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) Anantapur. The College Academic Council suspended the students after they allegedly forcefully forced juniors to stand half-naked in the hostel. 

The issue came to light after a parent of one of the first-year student complained to the college authorities. When the principal based on the complain inquired the students, the juniors also elaborated the ragging and other difficulties they underwent in the hostel. Following this, the College Academic Council suspended 18 second-year students for ragging from college and hostel. The police also took suo moto note of the issue and initiated a probe into the incident.