Outraged by the death of medical student Aman Kachru, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium on Tuesday said he would approach the Supreme Court seeking exemplary action against the accused.
Subramanium, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae (court’s friend) in a public interest litigation on the issue of ragging in educational institutions, said he would file an application on Saturday and mention it for urgent hearing on Monday, when the court reopens after Holi vacation.
“I am shocked and saddened by the death of a young student due to ragging despite a series of orders passed by the Supreme Court,” Subramanium told HT.
The ASG said he would demand setting up of a fast-track court for expeditious trial of Kachru’s killers and deterrent punishment to those held guilty.
“I want this case to be an example so that such heinous incidents are not repeated,” he said, advocating a zero tolerance approach to ragging.
Subramanium said the conduct of the state government, the students, the principal and the vice-chancellor would also be called into question. “I will seek action for contempt, inaction, negligence and failure of all those responsible for preventing such an incident,” he said.
The ASG said he would seek further directions from the court on preventing ragging in educational institutions.
Subramanium said he chose to talk to the media to spread the court’s anti-raging message to the young students in view of the fact that the new academic session was commencing and many parents would be scared to send their wards to colleges situated in far-off places.
(ragging) a human rights violation, he added.
Asked why ragging was still continuing despite the court’s orders, Subramanium said Supreme Court’s message had not percolated down to students.
Barely a month ago, the SC had issued a fresh set of directions stressing on strict action against students ragging their juniors, including immediate suspension.
The court directed the heads of educational institutions to immediately inform the police in case any incident of ragging came to their notice and set the criminal law in motion.
It had also given liberty to the universities and controlling bodies like University Grants Commission to reduce the grants in aid and deny them completely in serious cases, if it came to their notice that any educational institution was trying to shield errant students.