Anil Methania was a first-year student at GMERS Medical College and Hospital, Dharpur Patan
Ahmedabad:
Days after an 18-year-old MBBS student at a medical college in Gujarat died, reportedly after being forced to stand for hours during a rag session, his family wondered what kind of doctors such seniors would become.
Anil Methaniya, a first-year student of GMERS Medical College and Hospital, Dharpur Patan this year, was among the first-year students who were allegedly harassed by seniors during the “introduction” on Saturday evening. “Introduction” or “intro” is a word often used to describe disrupting activities on residential campuses.
After standing for hours, Anil collapsed and became unconscious. He was hospitalized and told police he had to stand for three hours. He died shortly afterwards. Fifteen senior students have been arrested in connection with this. They are charged, among other things, with manslaughter that does not amount to murder.
Anil's cousin Gaurav Methaniya recalled the shocking phone call they received on Saturday evening. “We received a call in the evening and were told that my brother had been admitted to the hospital. We were asked to come to the hospital as soon as possible,” Gaurav said.
Anil's family stays in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, over 150 km from the medical college.
“Four of us reached the hospital around 4 am and we came to know that my brother had died and the body had been sent for post-mortem. At the meeting there where the dean and police were present, we came to know that there was raiding. Seniors were being questioned,” said Gaurav.
When asked what the family wants now, he replied: “Those who commit these acts have a criminal mind, medicine is a service sector, how will they work there? Will they improve or harm the future of the country? What kind of doctors will they become? with such criminal minds, their studies should be stopped and they should be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
Gaurav said Anil was an excellent student. “He was the best student in two to three villages, the first in our family to go through MBBS. We saw him as a future doctor,” he said.
The university's anti-ragging committee recorded statements of 26 students and found that 15 seniors had confused 11 freshers. According to the FIR, the freshers were made to stand for hours and were made to sing, dance and use slang.
Higher education regulator University Grants Commission has banned any form of ragging on educational campuses and affiliated institutions have been asked to take strict action against those found guilty of ragging or complicity in ragging.
