Night curfew for hostel inmates, visitor’s entry restricted in JU hostel after student’s death
Jadavpur University in India has implemented new rules for hostel inmates following the alleged suicide of a first-year student. Students must now obtain permission from the hostel superintendent to leave after 10 pm, and visitors are only allowed in designated areas. The university has also taken steps to improve security, including the installation of CCTV cameras. An internal probe committee has recommended expelling four students in connection with the student's death.
More than a month after a first-year student of Jadavpur University allegedly jumped to death in the university’s hostel, authorities have come up with a set of rules and regulations for its hostel inmates.
Hostelites have been directed not to stay outside the hostel after 10 pm. Furthermore, the entry of visitors has also bene restricted to the visitor’s room only.
“Hostel gates would be closed from 10 pm to 6 am. Boarders would have to take prior permission of the hostel superintendent in case they need to stay outside,” said a professor.
The victim was allegedly ragged and sexually harassed by some seniors and former students. The former students were illegally staying in the hostel. Police in their probe had found that at least two dozen former students were illegally staying in the hostel.
“The borders are allowed to remain with their respective visitors in the visitor’s room or recreation room only. Visitors must carry their ID proof and register their names, address and mobile number in the hostel visitor’s register,” said the professor.
JU was adjudged the best university in West Bengal in the National Institutional Ranking Framework 2023 (NIRF 23) rankings. It bagged the fourth position nationally among universities for the second year straight after IISc Bengaluru, JNU Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi. The university was, however, pulled up by the UGC for flouting anti-ragging norms.
“First-year students have already been shifted to a separate hostel soon after the incident as per UGC guidelines. We are also beefing up security in the hostel and university. Security personnel are being posted and CCTv cameras would also be installed soon,” said a senior university official.
An internal probe committee set up by the university has already recommended expelling four university students, who are among 13 people arrested for the role in the 17-year-old’s death. Thirteen people – six current and seven former students – have been arrested in connection with the death of the 17-year-old student.
