Murder of Pon Navarasu

Pon Navarasu, a student of Annamalai University medical college in Tamil Nadu, India was murdered on November 6, 1996. This murder, which occurred during a ragging incident, led to the passing of the first anti-ragging legislation in India.^[1][2]

Details

Pon Navarasu was a first year student at the Rajah Muthiah medical college, Annamalai University. He was murdered on November 6, 1996. His body was dismembered and the body parts were scattered in different parts of Tamil Nadu. They were recovered over the next few days. His father Prof. P. K. Ponnusamy, a former vice-chancellor of the Madras University, filed a police complaint on November 10. The next day John David, a senior student at the same college surrendered to judicial custody and confessed to the murder after a week long interrogation. According to his confession, the murder took place while he was ragging Navarasu. The gruesome nature of the murder caused a public outcry and the Tamil Nadu government passed an anti-ragging ordnance criminalising ragging. Later this ordnance was formalised as the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997.^[3][4][5][6] Thus Tamil Nadu became the first state in India to ban ragging in educational institutions and criminalise the act.^[7][8][6][2]

John David was convicted of Navarasu's murder and was given a double life sentence (to be served consecutively) by the Cuddalore district sessions court on March 11, 1998. The Madras High Court overturned the verdict on October 5, 2001 and acquitted him. The state of Tamil Nadu appealed to the Indian Supreme court. On April 20, 2011, the supreme court overturned the high court acquittal and confirmed the lower court's conviction. It also ordered the double life sentences to be served concurrently.^[6][4] John David, who had been released in 2001, turned himself in again a few days later and is currently serving his sentence.^[5][9]

Navarasu's parents have established a non-profit anti-ragging organisation in his memory.^[10]

References

1. ^ "The 1996 TN case that started it all". Times of India. 12 November 2010. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/The-1996-TN-case-that-started-it-all/articleshow/6910870.cms. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "‘A FRESHER HAS TO BE STRETCHED LIKE A RUBBER-BAND TILL HE BREAKS". Tehelka. 18 November 2006. http://www.tehelka.com/story_main22.asp?filename=hub111806A_fresher.asp. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
3. ^ "The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997". Govt of TamilNadu. Laws of India. http://www.lawsofindia.org/statelaw/5630/TheTamilNaduProhibitionofRaggingAct1997.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "SC upholds two life terms for Navarasu killer". Times of India. 21 April 20011. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/SC-upholds-two-life-terms-for-Navarasu-killer/articleshow/8043388.cms. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "John David surrenders, at last". Deccan Chronicle. 24 April 2011. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/john-david-surrenders-last-685. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} "Life sentence for ragging murder". Indian Express. 12 March 1998. http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19980312/07150374.html. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
7. ^ "Know the laws of the land". Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE). http://noragging.com/index.php/Laws.html. 
8. ^ "Ragging and University Administration". Legalsutra.com. http://legalsutra.org/1688/ragging-and-university-administration/. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
9. ^ "David freed from prison". The Hindu. 09 October 2001. http://www.hindu.com/2001/10/09/stories/0409223w.htm. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
10. ^ "Objectives - Pon Naavarasu trust". http://www.ponnaavarasutrust.org. http://www.ponnaavarasutrust.org/objectives.htm. Retrieved 18 July 2011.