President Pratibha Patil, who has voiced concern over the rising incidents of ragging, has assured the parents of 19 years old Aman Kachru who died March 8 due to ragging by seniors in a Himachal Pradesh college that universities across the country would be sensitised about the rules on ragging. The president gave this assurance to Rajendra Kachru, the father of Aman, and said she would write to all the governors, who are also chancellors of universities in their respective states, to sensitise the institutions on the menace, said officer on special duty (OSD) at Rashtrapati Bhawan Archana Datta. The assurance comes days after Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh stated that the government would bring in a legislation to curb ragging on campuses. President Patil had on April 14 expressed concern over 'the rising incidents of ragging in certain institutions of higher education across the country.' She had advised students, especially the seniors, 'to be more responsible in their dealings with their juniors.'
She had called upon the state governments, university and college authorities to be vigilant and strict towards offenders and 'make special efforts to prevent students from resorting to acts of violence on the campuses.' Aman Kachru had died of severe injuries he sustained after being allegedly beaten by drunk seniors during ragging at a medical college in Tanda, Himachal Pradesh. The president's assurance comes also in the wake of another case of ragging in Himachal Pradesh in the prestigious Lawrence School at Sanawar where seven Class 12 students have been sent home for allegedly beating up juniors after a 'scuffle.'
