Guwahati, Dec 5: The prime accused in the Dibrugarh University (DU) ragging incident, surrendered before police in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district on Monday.
Rahul Chetry was arrested in connection with Dibrugarh police station case (number 729/2022 under Sections 120B/341/395/307/143 of IPC) after he surrendered at the Lekhapani police station on Monday morning.
He was absconding and evading arrest since the incident came to light on November 27.
Dibrugarh police sources informed that a team was stationed at Lekhapani police station after information was received that Chetry would eventually surrender.
According to reports, Dibrugarh police have taken Chetry, a former student of DU, in five days’ remand after the latter was produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court later in the day.
“If necessary, we have to seek additional days from the court to keep him in custody for interrogation,” a police official said.
Notably, along with Chetry, five others have been arrested in connection with the incident following allegations of ragging against them by Anand Sharma, an M.Com first semester student, who jumped off from the second floor of his hostel after being unable to bear the alleged physical and mental torture of senior students of Dibrugarh University.
Anand, who is recuperating in a private hospital in Dibrugarh after being operated on for critical spinal cord injuries, has accused Chetry of triggering the incident.
According to police sources, Chetry had submitted a letter at the police station before surrendering, wherein he claimed that he was “not linked to the incident and that he was forced to go into hiding fearing for his life.”
“To the people of Assam, I regret the incident that took place in Dibrugarh University on November 24 and wish my brother Anand Sharma speedy recovery. I am shocked that my name has been dragged into the incident as I am in no way linked to it,” Chetry wrote in the letter, in his defence.
“As a law student, I respect the law of the country and will continue to do so. However, after my name was dragged into the case, I was prompted to go into hiding as I feared for my life. I felt I would be attacked. I have been made to appear as the main accused in the incident. I myself seek justice for Anand Sharma. Let the law take its own course and provide justice to the victim,” the letter in Assamese, read.
A video of Chetry, claiming innocence, has also gone viral in a section of media and social networking sites.
Meanwhile, Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu, who took stock of Anand’s health in hospital, said that the victim’s condition post surgery has improved and that his physiotherapy sessions were underway.
“Doctors have informed that he would be shifted to the cabin from the intensive care unit (ICU) tomorrow where his physiotherapy sessions would continue,” Pegu informed mediapersons.