Ragging has become a major issue in the Indian state in recent years, with a reported increase of 41 percent in incidents between 2013 and 2015. Uttar Pradesh was classed as the worst state for the banned practice, which was addressed by India’s Supreme Court in 1999 and 2006.

Authorities in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh are investigating a mass ragging incident at a local university after a group of 150 medical students were allegedly forced to shave their heads and salute senior students.

The students were seen parading through the university campus in single file with their new buzzcuts, past security personnel and other staff at the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Safai village on Tuesday.

Helpless vice chancellor of the university, Dr Raj Kumar, claims that, despite appointing special squads to keep “check over ragging,” the practice is still widespread. He has promised “strong action against those involved,” adding that the university has suspended students for such behavior before and may well do so again.