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IIM first–year students hospitalised following attack by student union members
View(s):An alleged attack on Tuesday (1) by Student Union members on first-year students of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM), Colombo University, left six students including two girls in Colombo National Hospital with injuries.
Milan Sujith Wimalasooriya from Anuradhapura is among the six students admitted to hospital following an attack on him and his friend Udara, by at least 150 students who stormed into their class. He remembers the attack as sudden and degrading.
Mr Wimalasooriya attended morning lectures like any other day in campus, unaware of what was in store for Udara and him. When their lecturer announced a short break the students were eager to have a quick meal before classes recommenced.
“Some of our friends went out to bring food for us. While we waited for them, a large group of students from the Student Union came in and started to assault us,” Mr. Wimalasooriya recalled.
The assailants, some from his batch and the rest seniors, had broken his spectacles before smashing his two mobile phones on the floor. They had also shouted at the students in foul language and harassed female students who tried to stop the clash. The injured students have lodged a complaint at the police before seeking treatment for their injuries.
Meanwhile, following this incident the IIM was closed indefinitely. However, Mr. Wimalasooriya claims that the institute heads have announced to reopen it by next Monday.“This is even without launching an investigation into this matter. How can we attend lectures if the place is not safe for us,” he said, fearing another attack.
These students, about 25 in total, have been subject to these brutal forms of ragging when they refused to participate in Student Council activities. Initially, they were not allowed to use the library or canteen, sit on the cement benches outside the university or take their meals within the university premises. Later, the ragging turned more violent when the students tried to voice their frustration to the officials concerned.
The Government passed the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutes Act in 1998. Yet this incident is a clear example that the offence persists in our State-run educational institutes.
Now the affected students are awaiting officials to take necessary action against the attackers, and create an environment for them to complete their studies.