Gujarat ragging case: Medico died of heart attack after constant torture

AHMEDABAD: More than five months after 18-year-old student Anil Methania died following a ragging incident at Dharpur Medical College in Patan, the forensic postmortem revealed trauma and shock triggering a fatal cardiac arrest.
"The PM report revealed that the medico was constantly tortured, which led to trauma and shock, resulting in a fatal heart attack," said sources close to the investigation.
Investigating officer P J Solanki said a chargesheet in the case was filed a month ago, elaborating on how seniors misbehaved and assaulted their juniors, including Methania.
The incident took place on the night of Nov 16, when Methania and 11 other first-year students experienced harassment allegedly from senior students. The seniors allegedly forced them to perform to inappropriate songs and assaulted them. The victims were compelled to drink excessive water and denied toilet access for hours, the police officers said, citing statements of 11 witnesses.
According to police reports, Methania lost consciousness after being forced to stand for hours when he failed to comply with senior students' demands. He also sustained severe internal head injuries after falling and subsequently died at the hospital.
During the primary investigation, Anil Methania's head injuries were considered the cause of death, but a detailed report said he died following constant torture.
Sources in Patan police and Dharpur Medical College said the ragging was going on for a month and several students informed the medical college authority about it. The first-year students were called for introductory meets that were, in fact, ragging sessions. Around 150 students were categorised by their regional backgrounds and summoned for the sessions, which were going on for around a month before the student's death. Methania, who died during ragging, was part of the Saurashtra group of students.
Screenshots of online chats that went viral reveal the first-year students were called to different hostel rooms by their seniors. A senior police officer from Patan said that first-year students were subjected to humiliation, including being forced to perform vulgar dances and sing obscene songs in front of the second-year students.
Following the incident, Balisana police of Mehsana lodged a complaint of culpable homicide on Nov 18 against 15 second-year students of Dharpur Medical College. Hardik Shah, the college dean, said that they sought the report from the investigators and are yet to receive it.