Northeast Desk, 29th November: An alleged case of ragging has surfaced at the Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy in the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar.
A circulating viral video claims that senior boys at the academy engaged in ragging, assaulting younger boys on the school premises. Responding to these allegations, Itanagar Capital Region SP, Rohit Rajbir Singh, clarified that the viral video in question is not from the Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy. He acknowledged a separate incident involving a fight among boys at the school, initiating an inquiry into the matter. While he confirmed an altercation, he refrained from labeling it as an instance of ragging.
The Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy, falling under the jurisdiction of Chimpu police station, witnessed a clash among students from different classes. Seniors allegedly assaulted juniors, prompting medical tests for the involved students. Legal action will be taken based on medical reports and complaints from parents or guardians. The Child Welfare Committee is also involved, gathering statements from students and coordinating with parents. The SP assured that the district administration would intervene as needed.
Emphasizing that the viral video and the academy incident are unrelated, the Itanagar Capital Region SP urged against connecting the two. While addressing the situation at the academy, he pledged to follow legal procedures and provide counseling to the students. However, the origin and context of the viral video remain under investigation.
This isn’t the first time reports of ragging have emerged from the Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy. Previous instances, including rumors in June of the current year, did not result in police reports. Tadar Apa, the school director, mentioned never receiving complaints before but asserted that action would now be taken in response to the recent complaints.
“I never received any complaints about any past incidents. There is a principal to run the academy. I always hold discussions with the principal and the caretakers regarding any problems. They never talked of any problem. Today I talked to the children and told them that earlier they should have come to me and talked to me so that I could have taken action earlier as well. But today I got the complaint, and I assured the children now that justice will be served. But I never received anything before,” said the academy director.