The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition in the Supreme Court following the suicide of Charith Dilshan Dayananda, a second-year student of the Faculty of Technology at Sabaragamuwa University, allegedly due to ragging.

In its petition, the BASL accuses the university administration, the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Police, and other authorities of failing to enforce anti-ragging laws and protect students. The petition asserts that these failures violated the student’s constitutional rights under Articles 11 and 12(1), relating to freedom from torture and equal protection of the law.

“This is an application seeking relief, which if obtained, would see to the end of ragging in Sri Lanka’s universities,” BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya said.

The petition highlights institutional failures and a culture of impunity that enabled the abuse. It calls for the strict enforcement of anti-ragging laws, protective guidelines for students, and the recognition of every student’s right to pursue education in dignity and safety.

Ten students have been arrested and remanded in connection with the incident, Charith’s family maintains that he was driven to suicide due to unbearable ragging. (Newswire)