7 Sabaragamuwa Uni students to be charged under anti-ragging law, say police

University VC says committee to look into what course of action to be taken against them

Seven Sabaragamua University students who were arrested over a ragging incident complaint will be charged under the antiragging law (Prohibition of ragging and other forms of violence in educational institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998), the Samanala Wewa Police said.

The students, six boys and a girl, are final-year students of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages.

Following their arrest on January 28, they were produced in the Balangoda Magistrate’s Court and were released on personal bails of Rs. 100,000 each. The next hearing is on March 4.

The victim had called 1997, the hotline for ragging, regarding her complaint, and police said she was asked to report to the station and provide a statement. The student in her complaint said the incident had affected her mentally, police said.

The seven students were arrested under clause three of the anti-ragging act, which states that threatening with the intention of causing fear to a student or member of staff is a punishable offence. The Samanala Wewa Police said the seven students had surrendered.

The faculty Dean, Dr. Rohan Abeywickrama, said a female student had been threatened by the seven students, and she had been excluded from the batch photograph.

Dr. Abeywickrama said the victim had handed over a written complaint to him on November 1, 2023, but they were unable to conduct an inquiry as exams were ongoing at that time.

However, on January 8, Dr. Abeywickrama said an internal inquiry was held and the students had confessed to the incident. “Everyone confessed, and we reported the matter to the Vice Chancellor," he said.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor M. Sunil Shantha, said that the incident was not necessarily considered an instance of ragging. He has appointed a committee comprising a proctor and two senior lecturers to decide on what action should be taken against the students.