ANU College of Architecture and Planning freshers have told the committee that is probing the death of architecture student M. Rishiteswari that they were also subjected to severe ragging and harassment on campus.
First-year students came in a group to meet the committee at the university guest house and narrated many incidents of bullying that they had suffered. They revealed that we have been ragged many times in the college as well as in the hostel. Most times, it starts around midnight, the seniors call us, order us to fetch them liquor and food. Sometimes, they parade us in the hostel.
They also added, “We often thought of complaining against the harassment but could not muster the courage to do so. The seniors made us believe that no action would ever be taken against them”.
The juniors spent an hour with the committee explaining their ordeal.
Probe committee member and registrar of Padmavathi University, P. Vijaya Lakshmi, later met the girl students separately and noted their version.
Some of the freshers also noted that seniors have been trying to mollify the juniors since the death of Rishiteshwari.