Government, administration and the society should stand against ragging : Senior lecturer Athula Samarakoon

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A group of second-year students have been suspended from Eastern University over an incident of ragging. A group of second-year students had assaulted a first-year student attached to the Faculty of Arts at the Eastern University, this morning. The attack was reported to be an organized movement against a student who opposed ragging. The injured student is currently receiving treatment at the Batticaloa teaching hospital. The Administration of Eastern University said that the situation is under control. However, the university has been closed down for students of the first and second years until further notice. Recently a clash was reported at the cafeteria of the Colombo University over an incident of ragging. 12 students were arrested and placed in remand custody in connection to the incident. Senior lecturer Athula Samarakoon of the Open University: An attack on students cannot be considered as a civilized act. This uncivilized political culture that is seen within local universities must be stopped. Ragging must be swept out of the university system of the country. The university system must move away from this violent culture and democracy should be established within universities. The society has a responsibility to create an environment conducive for students to study at state universities. The government has a responsibility to do this. We have a massive challenge on our hands to save the university system of this country. Therefore I believe that the government, administration of the university and the society should unite to erase ragging from state universities."