Bengaluru, 22 Jan

An FIR has been registered against 22 college students and an outsider for allegedly ragging their juniors and assaulting a staff member, police said on Friday.

Three of the accused have been arrested, while efforts are on to nab the remaining suspects, who are absconding, they said.

The case was registered on 16 January based on a complaint lodged by Midhun Madhavan, head of the admissions department at Akash Group of Institutions in Devanahalli, police said.

According to the complaint, the accused allegedly ragged first-year students on the campus on 14 January and forced them to follow their orders, including fetching cigarettes and drinks and carrying their books. When the juniors approached Madhavan, he warned the senior students against repeating such acts.

On 15 January, the seniors allegedly resumed ragging, prompting the juniors to once again report the matter to Madhavan.

Subsequently, Madhavan, along with the juniors, went to meet the seniors near a tea shop behind the college to caution them, police said.

The situation escalated during the meeting, and the senior students allegedly assaulted the juniors and Madhavan.

Naveen, an outsider accompanying the seniors, allegedly attacked them using rods, sticks and stones and issued threats, the FIR stated.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Karnataka Education Act, police said, adding that further probe is underway.