Saturday August 15, 09 : If you are a first-year undergraduate student staying in a private hostel, beware; you could be an easy target for ragging outside your campus.

Following the Supreme Court's intervention, those who indulge in ragging seem to look for victims outside the college. The latest victim is a 19-year-old fresher in Coimbatore who was beaten up. Money was also extorted from him.

Now the first year computer science student is too scared to return to his college in Coimbatore. He stayed at a private place and last week eight of his seniors allegedly assaulted him. They also forced him to shave his moustache and extorted money.

"I don't know what to do. I feel so scared to get back to the same college," said the ragging victim.

According to the Raghavan Committee's recommendations, college and private hostel managements ought to protect the freshers who stay outside the campus. But on the ground that seldom happens and freshers in private hostels have become easy targets for ragging.

On the basis of a complaint received by post, the police have arrested four students of the private institution. College authorities say they had no clue about this issue.

"Nobody has given any formal complaint, directly or indirectly," said P R Muthuswamy, principal, N G P College.

Just a few months ago, a fresher staying at a private place in coimbatore almost lost his eyesight after his seniors attacked him at a public place. Many say a large number of these cases go unreported. While the spotlight is usually on campus ragging, clearly off-campus atrocities against freshers are proving to be a challenge for authorities.