Odisha High Court directs four students accused of ragging to teach in orphanage
CUTTACK: In a unusual order, a judge of the Orissa High Court has quashed an FIR registered against four senior students of a private law university for allegedly ragging a first-year student on the condition of teaching at an orphanage for one week.
While considering the petition filed by the four students, Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra on Wednesday, however, held that their conduct in the nascent stage of their career as the law students was highly objectionable.
“Therefore, while quashing the criminal case against the petitioners, this court feels it appropriate to direct the petitioners to volunteer at an orphanage of their choice for a period of one week where they will involve in teaching or conducting any workshop for the children studying in the orphanage,” Justice Mishra said in his order.
The petitioner will choose the orphanage and inform about the present order to the head of the institution. On completing, one week of teaching or conducting workshop, they should get a certificate from the orphanage head and submit it in the court within four weeks, Justice Mishra specified.
“I hope that the experience will nudge the impressionable youth present before me into a positive direction,” he observed.
The case was registered against the four students at Bharatpur police station after father of the victim student lodged the complaint alleging ragging and threatening his son with dire consequences. Investigation in the case was still going on.
Justice Mishra passed the judgment acknowledging the settlement between the father of the victim and parents of the accused four students. All four accused students present in court pleaded in an affidavit that the incident had taken place due to misunderstanding and sudden provocation. On repenting on their mischievous conduct, they have apologised to the father of the victim.
