Twenty-four students were reportedly severely beaten by their seniors, resulting in hospitalisation at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Bordumsa Sub-Division of Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district on Tuesday.
The incident, reported on Tuesday afternoon, has caused widespread outrage across the state.
According to initial reports, the 24 boarding students endured both physical and mental torture from a group of five 11th-standard students when they went for lunch around 2 pm after their classes.
Rajiv Ranjan, the principal of the school, confirmed that the five accused students have been suspended following a decision by the disciplinary committee.
“They will be handed over to their parents today,” Ranjan informed a news broadcasting channel.
In response, the school’s Parent Teacher Council (PTC) convened a meeting to discuss further actions against the perpetrators and the administration.
The injured students have received preliminary treatment. However, the guardians of the victims have expressed their outrage, holding the school administration, especially Principal Rajiv Ranjan, accountable for the incident. They demand strict action not only against the guilty students but also against
the school’s administration.
This incident is not an isolated case in Arunachal Pradesh. In 2018, three 6th-standard students at JNV Doimukh in Papum Pare district were ragged by nine 7th-standard students, leading to suspensions.
More recently, in 2023, over 20 students fell victim to ragging by senior students at Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy in Chimpu, near Itanagar.