JU silent on anti-ragging steps taken, UGC will probe student’s death: MoS Ed

The Union minister said not a single line was included in university’s report to UGC stating what anti-ragging steps were taken prior to the student’s death.

Jadavpur University (JU)’s report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) doesn’t include a single line on what steps the university had taken to prevent ragging in the campus before a first-year student allegedly died by suicide at its hostel last week, Union minister of state for education, Subhas Sarkar, said on Tuesday.

Union minister of state for education, Subhas Sarkar. (File Photo)

The UGC had sought a report from JU authorities after a fresher allegedly jumped to death from the second-floor balcony of the university’s main hostel last week. He was allegedly ragged.

“We sent an initial report to the UGC. They are satisfied with the report. The UGC team, which was supposed to visit the university on Wednesday, is not coming. We have been asked to send further reports,” Snehamanju Basu, JU registrar, said on Tuesday.

The Union minister, however, told the media that the JU’s report only mentions what steps the university has taken after the incident took place and not a single line was included stating what anti-ragging steps were taken prior to the incident to stop the menace.

“JU authorities were asked to submit a report within 24 hours. The university authorities, however, has submitted a report on what actions have been taken after the incident took place. We all know this. The ten points, which they have included in the report, doesn’t have a single line on what steps were taken (to stop ragging) before the incident took place,” he told the media.

Soon after the incident, the first-year students were shifted to a new hostel, the university set up an internal probe committee and anti-ragging hoardings have also come up in the university and hostel premises.

“UGC would conduct an enquiry. The anti-ragging cell was not informed. The UGC has lodged a suo-moto complaint. UGC is not taking it lightly. It is a very serious matter and JU should think over it. UGC is analysing the report and will soon inform about what steps it would take,” Sarkar told the media.

Meanwhile, police are trying to reconstruct the events, which unfolded on the night of August 9, which prompted the student to allegedly die by suicide..

“We visited the campus on Monday to reconstruct the events and check if any physical evidence was there. Some portions are still not clear. Investigation is going on,” said a senior IPS officer.

Police have already registered a murder case on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim’s parents and three persons, including a former student and two second-year students have bene arrested.

Another officer said that mobile phones of the accused have been seized and sent for forensic analysis to check whether they had captured any video of the ragging incident and later deleted it.

Police have learnt that soon after the incident a section of the hostelites locked the main gate of the premises. Police were not allowed to enter the hostel campus that night.

On Saturday, police lodged a case under sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).