Patna, July 6: Those indulging in ragging on the Patna University campus this year would land in trouble. For, the city police and the college authorities have decided to act tough.

All station house officers (SHOs) have been instructed to personally go to the spot in case they receive any complaint of ragging from the college campuses or hostels. On the campus, the anti-ragging cells in all the PU colleges would be activated as soon as the session starts. Banners and helpline numbers would be displayed to give freshers a sense of security and comfort.

The absence of any anti-ragging law in the state forces the police to lodge cases of ragging under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which can put the offenders in serious trouble.

“All SHOs will go and personally investigate incidents related to ragging that take place under the jurisdiction of their police station. A station diary will have to lodged in the same connection and with no anti ragging act in place in the state capital, sections under the IPC will be slapped against the offenders,” Patna City superintendent of police (SP) Shivdeep Lande said today.

Sources said from the ensuing academic session, all colleges have been asked to take necessary steps to prevent cases of ragging.

Admitting the absence of an appropriate act to deal with ragging cases, the officer said the IPC sections were a bit too tough for the offenders, who, mostly are senior students.

“Sections which can be slapped on the offenders include 323 and 324 for causing hurt to the victim, Section 143, which deals with unlawful assembly of five or more people, Section 147 for rioting and Section 149, which punishes persons who were present on the scene but did not take part in committing the act. All these are serious sections under the IPC,” the officer said.

Moreover, if the victim commits suicide, as in the case of Patna Medical College and Hospital student Sunny Kumar Raushan, who hanged himself on January 27 after his seniors constantly pestered him for Saraswati Puja subscription, Section 306, dealing with abetment to suicide, is slapped.

“Those caught ragging will be dealt with strictly. They can easily be rusticated or suspended from the colleges. Instructions in this regard have been passed on,” a Patna College professor said.