Three students sentenced for raping a junior in 2005

Three students of a nursing school in Kerala's Kottayam district were found guilty of raping a junior student on the pretext of ragging.

Three students of a nursing school in Kerala’s Kottayam district were on Wednesday found guilty of raping a junior student on the pretext of ragging at the college in 2005. A special court in Kottayam on Thursday sentenced two of them to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and the third accused was sentenced to undergo three years’ imprisonment. The court acquitted six others.

According to the prosecution,the 17-year-old nursing student of School of Medical Education (SME),under Mahatma Gandhi University,was sexually assaulted by six third-year students in the institute’s laboratory after the class hours on October 21,2005. Before proceeding to outrage her modesty,the senior students subjected her to ragging.

Renjith Varghese and S Sherin were the first and the second accused,who were slapped with RI of 10 years. The third accused is Shefique Yusuf.

Other accused students were Ashly Varghese,Robin Paul and Divine Philip. Apart from them,the prosecution has arraigned SME principal K M Mariam,director Muralidharan and Dr Zybuneesa Beevi,the psychiatry professor at Kottayam medical college,on charges of their attempt to cover up the incident and tamper with the evidence. The first three accused were charged with rape and abduction of a minor,among other sections of the IPC.

Besides,they were also slapped with various provisions of the anti-ragging Act.

Earlier,the Supreme Court had quashed a High Court directive to nullify the suspension of the accused students from the SME. The apex court was also against subjecting the victim for a lie detection test,as ordered by the Kerala High Court. After the nightmarish experience,the victim was forced to quit the course midway.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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