The authorities of a state run-college in Odisha’s Ganjam district decided to expel 12 students allegedly involved in ragging a girl student from the institute, an official said.

The police have arrested five students including two teenagers (Plus II) and three adult Plus III (second year) students for being allegedly involved in the ragging incident, a police officer said on Thursday.

The Binayak Acharya College here on Thursday decided to expel the 12 students involved in ragging a girl student on Saturday, from the institution, the official said.

“We have identified the students involved in the ragging through the video which went viral on social media. All of them will be expelled from the college by giving compulsory transfer certificates (TC)”, said Pramila Khadanga, college principal.

The principal said the Plus II (second year) students who have filled up their forms for annual examinations and were involved in ragging, will not be allowed to sit in the examination. “We will write to the council of higher secondary education about the incident”, she said.

Khadanga said the decision to expel the 12 students from the college was taken by the disciplinary committee and anti-ragging cell which met on Thursday. The process of expulsion has already been initiated, she added.

In the video, which went viral on social media, a group of students is seen harassing a junior girl student. The victim lodged an FIR at Bada Bazar police station on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police, Berhampur, Saraban Vivek M discussed with the college principal the anti-ragging mechanism in the institute as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court. Police also sought the identification of the students involved in the incident and their undertakings at the time of admission and other formalities.

The SP said three of the five arrested students are above 18-years of age. “We are verifying others who have been involved in the incident”, said the SP, adding that this is not just a case of ragging, but amounts to sexual harassment of the victim.

Other than sections under ragging, the police will book the accused under sections of the POCSO Act and IT Act, the SP said.

The SP said the students, teachers and parents can dial toll-free number 112 and report ragging in any institution over the phone. They can also report to the nearest police station, if the institutional anti-ragging cell is not responding properly, he added.

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