Hyderabad:JNTUH University College of Engineering, Sultanpur, suspended two final-year students until further orders on Tuesday after a second-year student complained that he had been physically assaulted on campus. The action came after second-year students protested over the incident and later blocked NH-161 near the college entrance.

An order issued by Principal S. Viswanadha Raju identified the suspended students as B. Gnan Karthik and C. Madhava Teja. It said certain second-year students had complained that they were “physically assaulted/beaten” by fourth-year students. The Principal conducted an inquiry and recorded the statements of the students concerned. Following an inquiry, the students were suspended.

The two fourth-year students have been barred from attending classes, entering the campus, taking part in academic or non-academic activities and representing the college in any capacity during the suspension. They may enter the campus only with written permission from the Principal and must appear before the college authorities whenever called. The college said any further action would depend on the inquiry findings and university rules.

Ramakrishna and Shrikanth Dharmarapa of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) said the altercation began on Monday night during preparations for a freshers’ programme. According to them, a disagreement over voting connected to the programme developed into a confrontation between second-year and senior students.

SFI alleged that a second-year EEE student was grabbed by the neck and choked during the confrontation which led to eventual hospitalisation, they said.

Second-year students began protesting on Tuesday morning and demanded action against those involved. Ramakrishna and Shrikanth Dharmarapa also questioned the functioning of the college’s anti-ragging body alleging that it existed “only in name” and said students had not received a proper response to earlier complaints.

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