New Delhi: The West Bengal government has formed a four-member, fact-finding committee to probe “certain administrative lapses and infrastructure gaps” in the prestigious Jadavpur University after a first-year student died last week – a victim of alleged ragging and sexual harassment.
The state’s higher education department has taken a “serious view” of the incident, a notification said Thursday, adding the committee would identify the lapses and ensure corrective measures. It will submit a report to the government within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has reprimanded Jadavpur University for submitting a “generic” report on the death of first-year undergraduate student Swapnadeep Kundu, 18, on the night of 9 August. Kundu, who was put up in the university’s main hostel, fell to his death from the third floor of the hostel.
The police have arrested nine students since then, many of whom were still staying in the hostel even after graduating from the institution. All of them are in police custody till 28 August.
Two hours before he died, Kundu had allegedly called his mother in Nadia’s Bagula that he was “very scared” and pleaded with her to take him home.
The UGC noted that no proactive measures had been taken by the university to curb ragging on campus, saying it was not satisfied with its report.
The UGC sought a “factual and action-taken report” from the varsity after the student’s death, after his family alleged he was a victim of severe ragging.
Kundu’s father has also filed a complaint of murder against the perpetrators.
A source told news agency PTI that the university’s report was “very generic in nature… basically mentioning mostly the reactive approaches adopted in the matter than proactive measures taken to curb the menace of ragging”
The UGC has also sought a compliance report on 12 queries raised by it and documentary evidence within a day.
Meanwhile, the university administration on Thursday announced the several steps taken to prevent “unfortunate events such as the death of a student”
Registrar Snehamanju Basu told the media that closed-circuit cameras had been installed in all entrance gates of the university. No one would be allowed to enter from 8 pm to 7 am the next day without a gate pass issued by the university, she said, adding a register maintained for visitors.
The administration would also take stern action against any student seen drinking or smoking up on campus, Basu said.
Two university teams – the anti-ragging committee and an internal body – are already investigating the circumstances that led to the student’s death.
There was also tension in the university campus Thursday after a visit by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikary triggered clashes between the party’s youth wing ABVP and a Leftist students body.
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