Tragedy of Uni ‘rag’ victim on fresher’s night
For long, ragging in Lanka’s universities has been the sport of sadists, given a licence to practise their depravities no holds barred, without having to fear the consequences.
The beginning of the annul academic year in the Groves of Academy is that time of year when it is open season for hunting down novices and using them to gratify the pent up perverted lust of the seniors. These are the set of’ people who will in three or four years will leave the hallowed grounds, garlanded with the epithet ‘the intelligentsia of Lanka’
It is to this sordid world, 21-year- old ex Peterite J.A Pasindu Hirushan from Kamaragoda in Minuwangoda stepped in after he had received three A grades at the Advance Level examination and chosen the Sri Jayewardenepura University to follow a degree course in the University’s management faculty. His sister had already been called to the Bar and was now an Attorneyat- Law.
But it is not ragging that caused Pasindu Hirushan to lie in critical condition on a hospital bed with serious brain injuries.
Last Thursday senior students had organised a ‘ragging’ and welcome party for freshers at the university’s hall. As the party progressed the seniors and the freshers mingled with each other. Some were downstairs, some were upstairs. Shortly after midnight a group of seniors had asked Pasindu to take some water to the seniors partying upstairs. After delivering the water, Pasindu had been coming down the 25 steps stairway when a few senior students had rolled down a bus tyre from top of the stairs. Pasindu had been on the 15th step when the massive had hit him.
He had plunged and hit head on the concrete step.
Call that ragging? It’s more like premeditated move or an act calculated to cause grievous bodily harm.
On Monday, Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana said two investigations were underway to determine what happened to the firstyear student of the Sri
Jayawardenepura University. The minister said: "The student has sustained injuries to the brain. It’s too early to say that this is the result of ragging. However, there has been something wrong. The students had been at the premises till 1.30 am. It is alleged that students had been using intoxicants."
It is irrelevant whether this a result of ragging. What matters is that the criminal law had been violated and a young man is critically injured due to an act by certain people. The face that it may have taken place during a bout of ragging is not a defence known in criminal law to a charge of murder or culpable murder manslaughter or grievous bodily harm.
Four students have been arrested over this tragic incident. The full force of the criminal law should strike the culprits. Both as a punishment for the crime committed and as a deterrent for future raggers.
Pasindu Hirushan entered the Groves of Sri Jayewardenepura University to enhance his brain power. Not to get his brain damaged for another’s sport.