Shimla, July 18 (Inditop.com) Himachal Pradesh moved a step closer to having an anti-ragging law with the state cabinet Saturday approving a draft of the proposed legislation.

“The state cabinet Saturday approved the draft of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Bill, 2009 that will be made an act during the monsoon session of the vidhan sabha (state assembly) beginning Aug 3,” an official spokesperson said.

The anti-ragging ordinance comes after Aman Kachru, a first-year student of the Rajendra Prasad Medical College at Tanda town, died March 8 after he was beaten up in the name of ragging allegedly by four final-year students.

The new law will make ragging a cognizable, non-bailable offence compoundable with the permission of the court. Any student convicted of an offence will be punished with imprisonment up to three years or fine of up to Rs.50,000 or both.

By rounak