Shimla, July 27 (IANS) In a move to check ragging-related incidents in educational institutions, the Himachal Pradesh police have extended an SMS facility whereby one can seek police assistance by sending a message.
As part of the facility, a fresher in any school or college can seek help by sending a message on a designated 10-digit number – 9459100100.
This assigned number was launched by the police in May this year to receive complaints from people in case of any emergency like accidents, serious crimes or cases of sexual harassment at workplace.
‘Now any fresher or student can report to police regarding ragging or any harassment incident by seniors through SMS. The SMS will be immediately forwarded to the police officer concerned for necessary action,’ Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) S.R. Mardi told IANS Tuesday.
‘Even the anti-ragging committees constituted in the educational institutions can lodge a complaint through this facility. This would certainly help curbing the growing menace in the educational institutions,’ he said.
‘To sensitize the students about the use of SMS facility, a special campaign would be launched in all the educational institutions across the state. The complainant can even know the status of his or her complaint by sending another SMS,’ he added.
The facility would be operational round the clock.
Mardi said police have received more than 200 complaints, including that of eve-teasing, since the facility was launched.
‘All messages, along with the action taken report received from the officials concerned, are being monitored by the Director General of Police himself,’ he added.
After the death of Aman Kachru, a first year student who was allegedly ragged to death by four senior students of the Rajendra Prasad Medical College at Tanda near Kangra town last year, the state government has made ragging a cognisable, non-bailable offence compoundable with the permission of the court.
Any student convicted of the offence will be punished with imprisonment up to three years or fine of up to Rs.50,000 or both.
The offender will be expelled from the institution and will not be eligible for admission in any other institution for a period of three years.
