One more held over ragging of students

BHC Chief Justice Noor Meskanzai will visit the college next week

QUETTA:  

The police on Wednesday arrested another suspect over the corporal punishment incident at the Cadet College Mastung. Inayatullah, a 2nd year student at the college, is allegedly involved in punishing 9^th and 10th grade students of the college.

The police had lodged a first information report (FIR) against college principal Javed Iqbal Bangash and six senior students City Police Station Mastung on Tuesday while Bangash had been sent on judicial remand after his arrest the same day.

The grievous video of corporal punishment went viral on social media in which many senior students were seen brutally ragging students of class 9 and 10 in the college garden. The video was recorded on May 9, 2018.

Balochistan High Court Bar Association President Shah Muhammad Jatoi had filed a petition against the incident and requested the Balochistan High Court (BHC) to order an inquiry.



During the hearing of the case on Wednesday, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Aitzaz Goraya told the court that those involved in ragging had been identified through the video and statements of the students who were ragged.

“One of the senior students Inayatullah involved in ragging junior students has been arrested while hunt for others is underway,” Goraya told the court.

The court ordered the RPO and secretary colleges to visit the cadet college and try to console the students and help them overcome fear and depression.

BHC Chief Justice Noor Meskanzai announced he would also visit the college next week. He said the principal should not be sentenced before completion of investigation because it would leave a negative impression on other teachers.

“Those involved in the crime must be brought to justice, but the police should refrain from disturbing innocent people,” said the BHC chief justice.



Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Meskanzai expressed resentment over the brutal ragging of junior students at the hands of senior students at the cadet college.

A two-member bench of the court, headed by the chief justice himself, ordered immediate arrest of the college staff and students involved in the ragging.

Principal Secretary to Balochistan Governor Sajjad Bhutta, RPO Goraya, Advocate General Balochistan Rauf Atta advocate and education department staff were present during the hearing.

“Parents of all students studying at the Cadet College Mastung are suffering from severe trauma after the incident. Other students will be reluctant to study at the college,” said the chief justice and directed the police to book all those involved in the incident and submit an inquiry report in the court.

Meskanzai ordered that the governor’s principal secretary would look into the administrative side of the incident while the police would handle the criminal side.

Following the incident, Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai dismissed Bangash and appointed Major (retd) Saffar Khan Mengal as principal of Cadet College Mastung.

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo had taken notice of the incident on Monday night and directed the education department to form a three-member committee for a probe.

On Tuesday, the police arrested Bangash, the college principal, and produced him before the judicial magistrate Mastung. Non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against all those who could be seen in the video.