New Government Polytechnic College second-year student Amresh Kumar. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Oct. 13: The nature of ragging on the capital’s campuses today hit a new low when a student of Patliputra-based New Government Polytechnic College was beaten up for refusing to strip.

Five seniors allegedly thrashed Amresh Kumar, a second-year mechanical engineering student of the college, after he refused to strip on their demand. Police had no clue about the incident till a senior politician called up and alerted them.

Around 4pm, the victim, identified as Amresh Kumar, was leaving the campus after taking an examination when Nitish Kumar, a third-year student of the same faculty, and four others allegedly took him to a corner and asked him to strip. When Amresh refused to obey their “order”, he was repeatedly slapped.

Amresh’s ordeal did not end there. The same youths again caught and beat him up outside the campus.

The incident, which occurred today around 4pm, did not get to the police’s ears.

“The matter was not reported to the police — neither by the college nor the victim. A senior politician called us up after which a police team reached the spot and began investigating,” a police officer told The Telegraph.

Amresh, who hails from Gaya district and stays in a private lodge, said the youths had been troubling him for some time. “I don’t know what they want. They always bully and trouble me for no reason. They blocked my way today and took me to a secluded corner. Then they asked me to take off my shirt and trousers. On refusing, Nitish and the rest slapped me hard repeatedly. I managed to wriggle free and run out of the campus. They chased and again caught me before raining blows on me. Thereafter, I was threatened with dire consequences and finally left free,” Amresh said.

Students of the polytechnic college said such incidents were common.

“Ragging takes place both inside and outside the campus frequently. The seniors torture junior students and demand money. We are afraid to report this to anyone, as it might lead to serious consequences. We don’t know what to do really,” a student said.

Sitaram Singh, the principal of the college, admitted that the incident had occurred. “There has been an incident and the police had come to record the statement of Amresh. The college will set up a committee to conduct its own inquiry. Nitish hails from Aurangabad district and he also stays in a private lodge. He and his friends are presently absconding. The police have been given his background details. Strict action will be taken against the accused after the inquiry,” Singh said.

On August 12, a student of BN College had reported about an incident of ragging.

On July 20, one Mithun Kumar Singh, a fresher in Patna College’s geography department, was sitting in his classroom when he was physically abused and assaulted by some second-year students.