Jadavpur University: The Ragging & Raging Questions After 17-Year-Old’s Death | News18 Ground Report

“My parents are worried. They want me to return home. I am also scared, but I want to study. I am looking for an option," a first-year student from Kolkata’s Jadavpur University, where a 17-year-old undergraduate student died on campus on August 10 after allegedly falling from the main hostel balcony amid reports of ragging, tells News18.

Scared, he did not want to mention his name, much like the other first-year students, who have now been transferred from the main hostel to the New Boys Hostel.

The probe into the cause is on. Three students have been arrested so far. Deputy Commissioner Bidisha Kalita on Monday went to the spot to recreate the sequence of events.

News18 went to the campus to check the ground reality.

IS THE ANTI-RAGGING COMMITTEE ACTIVE?

As you cross the famous Milan da’s canteen in Jadavpur University, a hoarding of an anti-ragging committee greets you. The message on it is: ‘Expel students if found guilty of ragging.’ It also lists the phone numbers of those in the anti-ragging committee, from the dean to the general secretary, unions and professors.

When News18 asked students if the committee was this active, they said the numbers don’t work and if they ever do, the response is never positive.

Sukhendu Vaidya, a postgraduate student from Joynagar who has been living in the hostel for the past four years, said, “People who have no choice stay at the hostel. Ragging in those hostels is an open secret, but nobody says anything. Several complaints have been made to the dean of students, to no avail."

Another second-year student said on condition of anonymity: “If we start filing complaints, the rate of ragging will increase further."

WHY ARE ex-STUDENTS STILL STAYING AT THE HOSTEL?

One of the three arrested in the Jadavpur case is an ex-student, Sourav Choudhurybose. He had passed out of the university last year, but still stayed at the hostel and continued his “dada raj", say sources from the hostel.

This has led to several questions: Why is this a common practice? Is the dean of students not aware of it, or is it being allowed in exchange for something? Is there a nexus?

WHY NO CCTV CAMERAS?

All renowned universities, except the Jadavpur University, have closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. The students’ union is against the installation. According to All India Students Association (AISA) union student representative Varsha Boral: “The authorities are responsible for the incident. This does not mean CCTVs will be installed here. CCTVs mean surveillance. There was a time when Vice-Chancellor Abhijit Mukherjee tried to install CCTVs, but most of them are now defunct. There was a huge uproar then too and the process could not be taken forward."

According to a section of students, while it may mean surveillance, the absence of CCTVs could make investigation tougher in cases such as these. “Free thinking does not mean that basic discipline will be flouted," they say.

WHAT THE AUTHORITIES SAY

After the death, Registrar Snehamanju Basu came to the university for the first time on Monday. She said she was unwell, but was keeping an eye on the goings-on.

After a meeting, Basu ordered all new students to be moved to a separate hostel and the authorities to give requirement for security. She is also likely to put forward the idea of CCTV cameras.

POLITICAL HUES

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleged: “The boy was wearing an amulet, but he was forced to take that off. These people [Leftists and Marxists] apparently told him that ‘this is a red fort’."

“These people consider the university to be a place they own. They don’t allow police on the premises. They don’t allow CCTV cameras to be installed. They create an environment of terror in a prestigious institution like the Jadavpur University," she said.

Monday also saw rallies by the Left, TMC, All India Democratic Students Organisation (ADSO).

Speaking to News 18, a second-year student said, “We all knew about this [ragging], but when we asked the juniors file a complaint, they didn’t."