SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday said that in a deeply disturbing incident, Hamim, a second-year MBBS student from Anantnag, Kashmir, studying at Al-Ameen Medical College in Bijapur, Karnataka, was brutally ragged and physically assaulted by senior students from the 2019 batch. The association has sought the intervention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the matter.Association said that, The ordeal began on Tuesday around 4 PM when Hamim went to the college playground to watch a cricket match between the 2019 and 2022 batches. While standing near the boundary, a senior ordered him to stay outside.
Without argument, he complied and continued watching from a distance. However, this was not the first time he had been confronted by seniors. Last year, during exams, a senior had confronted him for not greeting him in the mess during dinnerâan incident that foreshadowed the targeted harassment he would later endure.National Convenor of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, who spoke to the victim, said that as the captain of the 2023 batch cricket team, Hamim found himself at the center of a power struggle with senior students.
When he attempted to stay near the field, the seniors ordered him to leave, claiming that the match was exclusively for the 2019-2022 batches. When he refused, insisting that he had every right to be there, he was confronted by seniors who demanded an explanation for his 'defiance.'He said that What began as verbal intimidation quickly escalated into outright bullying. A group of seniors humiliated him, ordered him to perform an "Al-Ameen salute," sing songs, and dance for their amusement. They even attempted to force him into their car, implying further harm.
When he refused, asserting that such demands were both inappropriate and against college regulations, the situation became more volatile. Sensing imminent danger, he took out his phone to record the incident, hoping it would deter them. Instead, this act of self-defense enraged them further.He added that, Later that evening, a group of 6-8 individuals stormed into his hostel room and brutally assaulted him. They repeatedly beat him, forced him to record a video apologizing under duress, and issued chilling threats; âYou have four more years here. We are localsâimagine how terrible we can make your life.â
They issued death threats and warned him that he would not be allowed to play cricket for the next four years.Khuehami said that, Such incidents highlight the alarming culture of unchecked ragging and abuse within educational institutions. This is not just an isolated case of violenceâit is a failure of the system meant to protect students. Immediate legal action must be taken against the perpetrators, and both college authorities and law enforcement must intervene swiftly. Stronger anti-ragging measures need to be implemented to ensure the safety and dignity of all students, especially non-locals and Kashmiri students, who often face additional discrimination.
He emphasized that, Educational institutions should be places of learning and growth, not fear and intimidation. It is imperative that this case is not ignored, and justice is served, so that no student has to endure such trauma in a place meant to shape their future.The association has strongly condemned the incident, demanding strict action against the accused students.
It asserted that those found guilty must be immediately expelled from the university to set a strong precedent against ragging and to ensure the safety of all students, especially non-locals, in educational institutions.The Association sought Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramana's intervention to ensure strict action against the perpetrators and to safeguard the rights and safety of students, especially non-locals, in educational institutions. We urge the Chief Minister of Karnataka to personally intervene in this matter, ensure swift justice for the victim, and take strict action against those responsible to prevent such incidents from recurring in educational institutions, it added.
