Two months after a research scholar was brutally beaten up by a fellow student for taking part in a campus beef fest, the Indian Institute of Technology – Madras (IIT-M) has banned a "right wing" student who indulged in the violent attack from entering the hostel zone and withdrawn his boarding and lodging facility for six months as disciplinary action.
However, Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC), an organiser of the fest, complained that the punishment is grossly inadequate.
R. Sooraj, a PhD scholar and member of the APSC, was beaten up by Manish Kumar Singh on May 30 for taking part in the beef fest, which was a protest against restrictions on cattle trade brought in by the Union Government. Sooraj suffered a serious injury in his eye and had to undergo a surgery for a broken cheekbone. The Chennai police booked eight IIT-M students, including Singh, under four sections of IPC. A case was also booked against Sooraj on a counter complaint filed by Singh.
The Hostel Disciplinary Committee (HDC) of IIT-M has "severely reprimanded" Manish and he can only enter the campus with prior permission of the Institute for academic reasons. The HDC also reprimanded a friend of Sooraj "for trying to flare up the situation even after the initial incident was brought under control."
An IIT-M student belonging to APSC said that the group is considering appeal against the HDC decision. "Any resident of the hostel is expelled if they are reprimanded twice. Manish was also being expelled from the hostel after being reprimanded twice — first for attacking a student legislator last year and next for attacking Sooraj. It's unfair to let him go with a lighter punishment," he said.
APSC says the 'severe reprimand' is a punishment for anyone who smokes or drinks inside the campus. "Is this the way the number one institute of India handles the case of physical attack inside its campus? Is the IIT-M administration supporting, or promoting violence inside the campus?" it asked.
MEAT OF THE MATTER
- R. Sooraj, a PhD scholar, was beaten up by Manish Kumar Singh on May 30 for taking part in a beef fest organised as a protest against restrictions on cattle trade. Sooraj suffered an eye injury and had to undergo a surgery for a broken cheekbone.
