Kachru’s father deposes in ragging death case

DHARAMSALA - Deposing before a Himachal Pradesh court here, Rajendra Kachru, the father of medical student Aman Kachru who was ragged to death last year, Saturday narrated in detail the sequence of events that led to his son’s death.

Appearing in the Fast Track Court of Judge Purinder Vaidya for the first time in the case, Kachru said his son spoke to him in detail about the incident of ragging that occurred March 6, 2009, in the Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda town near here.

“Aman even told me that he had given in writing a complaint to college authorities regarding the (ragging) incident. Three to four hours after I got the phone call from Aman, somebody informed me on telephone from the college that he had passed away,” Kachru said.

The prosecution said Kachru’s deposition was important as Aman’s roommate Ashish Saklani had already recorded his statement in the court that the victim spoke at length with his father about the ragging incident.

Aman, 19, died March 8, a few hours after being allegedly ragged by four final-year students of the college.

The trial court Friday re-examined two doctors - Harjeet Pal Singh, registrar, ENT (ear, nose and throat) department, and D.P. Swami, assistant professor, forensic medicine department.

Singh was on duty in the hospital when he examined Aman’s ears a few hours after the ragging incident, while Swami conducted the post-mortem examination on Aman’s body.

Meanwhile, the defence is claiming that if Kachru’s witness was so important in the case, he could be summoned earlier also.

Kachru said in the court that he was in constant touch with the superintendent of police and other district officials after the ragging incident.

He later told reporters: “I am quite satisfied with the prosecution. I have full faith in the judiciary.”

The court has already recorded the statement of 37 witnesses, comprising doctors and police personnel.

The court Aug 2 resumed the trial against four medical students - Ajay Verma, Naveen Verma, Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma - after they surrendered on cancellation of their bail by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

The high court, which had initiated suo motu proceedings after bail was granted to them July 17, said: “The order passed by the trial court granting bail to the accused is against law… accordingly quashed and set aside.”

“The trial court would ensure that the trial is conducted from day to day. The court would ensure that no undue and unnecessary adjournments are granted to either side,” Justice D.D. Sud observed in a 37-page order.