Dhanbad, Jan. 13: A first year student of a polytechnic here has accused three college mates, of whom two are the victim’s batchmates, of ragging.

Nawal Kishore, a day scholar studying in the mechanical engineering department of Dhanbad Polytechnic, lodged an FIR against the three on Saturday at the Dhanbad police station. The names on the FIR are of first year students Ravi Kumar and Pratiyogita Ranjan, and second year student Rocky Kumar.

Nawal is a student of the 2006-2007 batch. As the course started about eight months ago, and the first year annual examination is due in April 2008, they are still considered as first year students.

Despite the FIR, the polytechnic authorities are unable to confirm the names of the accused — all boarders. “First year boarders generally stay in hostel two, where the ragging reportedly occurred. The hostel inmates have a tradition in keeping nicknames, so it is confusing to identify a boy,” said a college source.

Other sources said the complaint was a result of a “scuffle” between the students. They fought over the funds collected for Saraswati Puja. It has been eight months since the batch started, said the sources, and it is too late for ragging.

The polytechnic has constituted a “fact-finding” committee comprising four hostel superintendents and two faculty members. The panel is scheduled to meet on January 16 and submit its report on January 17, said principal of the institute, Kaushal Kishore Sinha.

Photographs would be used to identify the boys as their identities are ambiguous, said sources.

Another confusion in the issue is that the FIR has been for ragging while the primary complaint to the principal states it as a scuffle.

According to the FIR, Nawal was attending class at the mechanical engineering department on January 11 when about 10 boarders called him to the hostel as “they wanted to rag” him. When an objection was raised, the students came with batons and hockey sticks and took Nawal to the hostel. Outside the building, they allegedly bashed him up, injured his nose and hands. Later, the students asked Nawal, whose clothes were soaked with blood, to run naked towards the hostel, the FIR states.

The principal said Nawal complained to him about “a scuffle and not ragging”. “He said the boarders beat him up and abused him. He did not say anything about the nudity. Another boy of the same hostel also reported of a scuffle. If the accused are found guilty, steps would be taken in accordance to the Supreme Court ruling against ragging, which could be temporary suspension or expulsion,” he added.

The police sent Nawal for a medical test, which confirmed injuries on left wrist and swelling in the arms and thighs.