Fest stampede: Court discharges Ramjas College ex-principal

A city court has discharged a former principal of a Delhi University college of the charges of endangering the life of a student, who was injured in a stampede due to his decision to open the main gate for a festival.
The sessions court set aside a magisterial court's order framing charges against the then Ramjas College principal, Rajender Prasad, for alleged offences of endangering life and personal safety of others and causing grievous hurt by such an act under the IPC.
Additional Sessions Judge Narinder Kumar said when the principal noticed a crowd of students on the road, grappling with each other, he deemed it appropriate to open the main gate to ease their entry in the college. It cannot be said that he was negligent in issuing such directions.

The court said it cannot be said that the principal could visualise that the students, who were standing in a queue in front of a smaller gate, would rush towards the main gate, leading to the stampede.
"The court does not find any material on record to suggest that it was act of any recklessness on the part of the principal in taking this decision of issuing such directions for opening of the main gate," it said.
The incident took place in February 10, 2012 when Arushi Vashisht, a student of Dyal Singh College along with others had come to attend a fest at Ramjas College. While they were standing in a queue to enter the premises through a smaller gate, the principal directed that the main gate be opened.

As a result, the crowd rushed to get inside due to which Vashisht fell down and others walked over her. She became unconscious and was taken to a nearby hospital.

An FIR was lodged at Maurice Nagar police station after which the trial court framed charges against Prasad.
Prasad had approached the sessions court against the order to frame charges on the ground that no prima facie case was made out against him and contending that there was a delay in recording of the complainant's statement.
The sessions court allowed Prasad's revision petition and said no prima facie case for the offences was made out against him.

"On a perusal of the material available on record, there is absolutely nothing to prima facie show that the incident took place as a result of any rash and negligent act on behalf of the petitioner (Prasad) or that it was the direct or proximate result of any rash and negligent act on his part," the court said.