Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Sunday ordered aprobe into an alleged case of ragging in the prestigious Lawrence

School at Sanawar after seven Class 12 students were sent home for beating upjuniors in the school campus last week. Dhumal said an official team comprisinga subdivisional magistrate and a superintendent of police had been sent to theschool to inquire into the matter.

Headmaster Parveen Vashishta said on Sunday that it was not a case of ragging,but a "scuffle" between senior and junior students of the school. Herefused to confirm if the seven students had been rusticated as reported.

"The matter has been referred to the school governing body and any actionin the matter would depend on its decision," he said. "There has beenno complaint either from school authorities or the students. Action will beinitiated as soon as any complaint is received," he maintained.

Headmaster Vashishta said there had been a scuffle between students of Class 11and 12 Monday night following which a disciplinary committee was constituted.It found seven students of Class 12 guilty and they were asked to vacate theirhostel.

He said the seniors had reportedly told some juniors to shout raucously insidethe campus but they refused, which led to an altercation and finally a scuffle.The Class 12 boys sent back home belong to Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi, hesaid.

The residential public school boasts of alumni like Jammu and Kashmir ChiefMinister Omar Abdullaha and actor Sanjay Dutt. The incident comes nearly twomonths after a Himachal Pradesh student, Aman Kachru, died as a result ofsevere ragging by seniors in a medical college in Tanda.