IIT-Mandi penalizes 72 students for ragging and ringfences freshers

The 10 suspended students have left their hostel rooms, including three office bearers of the student body who were in charge of planning the "freshers' mixer" and who have since lost their positions.

In response to allegations of ragging at a "freshers' mixer" held last month, the Indian Institute of Technology in Mandi (IIT-Mandi) has banned interaction between senior batches and first-year students for the duration of the entire semester and initiated disciplinary action against 72 students, including the suspension of 10 students for six months.

IIT-Mandi Director Professor Laxmidhar Behera claimed in an email sent to all students on 20 August that the seniors had "breached" the "laxman rekha" (crossed the line) and 72 of them were "guilty of participating in ragging to various degrees" despite the incident reportedly taking place on August 11.

The Indian Express News channel requested views from Professor Behera, Dean of Academics Aniruddha Chakraborty, and Dean of Student Affairs Hitesh Shrimali. In contrast to Chakraborty and Shrimali, who declined to comment, Behera did not answer inquiries for a response.

Punishment in Detail: Different degrees of punishment have been given to the senior students, including a fine of Rs 15,000 and 20 hours of community service, a fine of Rs 20,000 and 40 hours of community service, a fine of Rs 25,000 and 60 hours of community service, and a six-month suspension from school and the dormitory.