According to a complaint lodged by Dhruv's father, his son was attacked by approximately ten students in a secluded area near St Stephen's Marthoma Church in Hado Siddapura between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm on August 30.
Students of a private college in Bengaluru allegedly ragged and assaulted their junior from Kerala for refusing to shave off his beard and mustache. While the victim is undergoing treatment at a local hospital, a case has been filed in connection to the matter.
According to a Times of India (TOI) report, 21-year-old Dhruv (name changed), a resident of Hado Siddapura and from Kerala, and a student of Krupanidhi Group of Institutions in Chikka Bellandur was left with a fractured hand and a forehead injury after he was allegedly ragged and assaulted by his seniors.
According to a complaint lodged by Dhruv’s father, his son was attacked by approximately ten students in a secluded area near St Stephen’s Marthoma Church in Hado Siddapura between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm on August 30. Dhruv recounted to TOI that when he started college in April, three senior students objected to his mustache and beard, demanding that he shave them off by the following day.
“I didn’t comply and went to college without shaving. They were infuriated and continued to harass me to get clean-shaven, claiming I was not respecting my seniors. They ragged me at least four times on campus,” Dhruv said, adding that they even came to his rented house in his absence when he had visited his hometown.
On Friday evening, one of the seniors called Dhruv and asked him to meet near the church for a discussion. Anticipating trouble, Dhruv went there with his roommates. “The three seniors were already there with a group of seven to eight other seniors. They confronted me over the shaving issue, forcing me to shave on the spot. When I refused, they verbally abused and physically assaulted me. I am not sure what objects they used, but I sustained severe injuries,” Dhruv explained.
After threatening him with further consequences, the group left, and Dhruv’s friends rushed him to a private hospital where he underwent surgery for a fracture the next day. The college administration has promised to take action against the attackers.
Dhruv’s father reported to the police that the three seniors also threatened his son at the hospital during his treatment. The Bellandur police have filed a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing hurt, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, rioting, and criminal intimidation. “Since the perpetrators are also students, we have issued notices for them to appear before the investigating officer to give their statements and proceed with necessary actions,” a senior officer stated.
