Late night party at AIIMS turns ugly

Male students wanted girls to stay late. College authorities had to drag them back to hostel. Ten students face suspension

Male students wanted girls to stay late. College authorities had to drag them back to hostel. Ten students face suspension

Booze was flowing freely, loud music was on and nobody seemed interested in deadlines. A bunch of budding doctors were having fun, celebrating their entry to the most prestigious medical education institution in the country.


Slug(fest): AIIMS security staff have alleged that the students were
celebrating much beyond the specified time limit while students claim
they were manhandled. Pic/mid day

But suddenly a rude shock spoiled the revelry and now the students are on the verge of losing it all.
The freshers party at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences campus on the night of August 31 was going on beyond the specified time of 11 pm for such celebrations on campus.

It was around 1 am that the college authorities intervened and asked the students to go back to their respective hostels.
It has been alleged that most of the students, including girls, were drunk and did not pay heed to repeated warnings by the officials.

The party was being held in the recreation room of the boys hostel. While the authorities claim that they only asked the girls to return to their hostel, as it is not allowed for them to stay in the boys hostel, the students alleged that the officials manhandled the students and even dragged some girls back to their lodging rooms and locked them from outside.

"The boys wanted the girls to stay late for the party and we could not have allowed it at any cost," said a security official, requesting anonymity.
"Most of the students were drunk and did not listen to us but we did not harm or manhandled any student," he claimed.

However, the students presented a completely contrasting picture.
Admitting that they were partying late, the students alleged that even after giving an assurance to wrap the celebrations soon, the authorities did not wait and got "physical" with them.
"They dragged the girls and taken to their hostels. The wardens locked them in their rooms," said a senior student, wishing anonymity.

"When others protested, they misbehaved and abused them and manhandled other girl students," he alleged.
However, the word spread soon and around 150 students from first, second and third year went to the Dean's office at around 3 am to protest against the alleged misbehaviour by college security officials.

When the Dean did not come out of his residence, they started shouting slogans.
"The students first went to the Anti- Ragging Committee of the college, and various other official committees. But finally they were asked to speak to the Dean regarding the issue," the official added.

The Other Side

All India Institute of Medical Sciences director RC Deka refused comment over the issue. "I am sorry. I cannot comment on the issue. I am out of station." The Dean could not be reached for a reaction.

The students have also rubbished the allegations that they were drunk and creating a ruckus.

"They have taken names of some girls who were not even present in the party," a second-year student claimed.

According to highly-placed sources, the college has decided to suspend nine students out of the 150 who were present in the party. The students, on the other hand, have written a letter to the Director of the institute to listen to their grievance and revoke their suspension.

"Why only 9 students have been selected for the suspension, when there were 150 students?" asked a student.

MORE SEATS

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for augmenting existing facilities at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and implementing recommendations of Oversight Committee - implementation of Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 for reservation in admission for Other Backward classes (OBCs). According to the government, implementation of 27% reservation in admission for OBCs in AIIMS without altering the number of unreserved seats would necessitate increase in total number of seats in various courses and corresponding increase manpower and infrastructure.