Jadavpur University student death: Police register murder case as TMC-BJP begin slugfest
Allegations have surfaced that the main hostel, located outside the university campus, is frequented by ex-students who regularly harass freshers.
A day after a first-year student of Jadavpur University fell to his death from a hostel balcony, triggering allegations of ragging by some seniors and ex-students, police registered a murder case on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim’s father on Friday.
“We have registered a FIR under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s father. Investigation is going on. Some present and past-students are being questioned. The family has named one former student who was staying in the hostel,” said a police officer.
Late on Wednesday a 18-year-old student from the university fell from the second-floor balcony of the main hostel building. The student’s naked body was found lying in a pool of blood in front of the hostel building. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed a few hours later.
Also Read: Freshers to move to separate hostel at JU after student’s fall to death
“At 10:05 pm on Wednesday, I received a call from a student. He said that another student was facing ‘politicising’. I couldn’t understand and asked him to explain. He said that a student was being asked not to stay in the hostel because if one has to stay in the hostel, he needs to jump from the balcony. I asked him to inform the hostel-superintendent,” Rajat Roy, dean of students of JU, told the media.
“At 10:08 pm I asked the superintendent to check. The next phone call I got (was a) little after midnight in which the superintendent informed me that a student has fallen from the balcony and I rushed to the hospital,” Roy added.
The victim’s parents, a section of students and professors alleged that he was ragged.
Allegations have surfaced that the main hostel, located outside the university campus, is frequented by ex-students who often stay illegally. Seniors and ex-students regularly harass freshers, alleged students.
“My son called and spoke to his mother on Wednesday night. He was very afraid and was under tremendous pressure. He begged me and his mother to come. It was clear that he was being tortured,” the student’s father told journalists on Thursday.
University authorities have asked freshers to move to a separate hostel while ensuring that ex-students and outsiders are not allowed to stay at the main hostel. The university has also set up a committee to probe into the incident.
A team of faculty members met West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan on Friday. Bose is the chancellor of the state university and had visited the hostel on Thursday evening.
Also Read: Jadavpur varsity student dies in fall, kin say was facing ragging
“All undergraduate first-year students have been instructed to temporarily shift to the New Boys Hostel. No ex-students as well as outsiders would be allowed to stay in the hostel. Hostel superintendents have been asked to send names of ex-students and outsiders who do not comply,” said a JU official,asking not to be named.
The state human rights commission on Friday sought a report on the incident from Kolkata Police and JU authorities by August 24.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee called up the victim’s parents on Friday, assuring them of all help.
The incident, meanwhile, has triggered a political slugfest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its arch rival the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Without administrative support students unions won’t be able to continue with the ragging in universities. The student had to pay with his life. I assure the family of all legal assistance. I stand beside them in this hour of grief,” tweeted Sukanta Majumdar, state BJP president.
The TMC was quick to hit back saying that the BJP was out to blame the state government at the drop of a hat.
“The BJP state president, in his hurry to blame us, has forgotten that JU is under the direct control of the Governor. So, it is his failure and in turn the failure of his political masters to control this deplorable incident,” tweeted Bratya Basu, state education minister.
JU was adjudged West Bengal’s best university in the National Institutional Ranking Framework 2023 rankings.