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Two undergraduate students studying at Jadavpur University were arrested on Sunday. Both of them are second-year students detained after being suspected in the death case of an 18-year-old student who had recently joined the university. The victim had jumped off the second-floor balcony of the university’s central hostel on Friday and was found lying naked. He succumbed to death at a hospital while undergoing treatment for the injuries sustained after falling from the balcony.
The two students accused and arrested were identified as the Sociology student Mantosh Gosh and the Economics student Dipsekhar Dutta. They were arrested after the police authorities found discrepancies in their statements after having conducted the night-long interrogation.
They were called for the interrogation after being named by Sourav Chowdhury who had completed his MSc degree in Mathematics last year from Jadavpur University but was found to be illegally staying in the hostel.
The first-year students were subjected to ragging under the pretext of ‘introduction’. The victim, too, was subjected to this by the alleged three students who are now remanded in police custody till August 22.
The case has been registered by the police under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 302 (murder) and section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) based on the complaint received by the parents of the victim. The social media posts of the victim have also been taken into due consideration, possibly hinting at the victim being sexually harassed by the hostelers.
Shankha Shubhra Chakraborty, Joint Commissioner (Crime), reported the absence of security cameras at the hostel, posing a challenge to the ongoing investigation of the matter.
Sexual Harassment : Another investigation angle probed by the Police
One of the students reported to the authorities that sexual harassment and ragging were common, especially in the hostels. The seniors asked the students to perform sexual acts and passed indecent remarks to these students, according to his statement. Many leave the hostels due to this unbearable and immodest behaviour directed at the junior year students.
The teachers have also reported frequent visits being made by the former students to stay at the premises while also being involved in harassing the freshers.
Action taken by the University
The teachers of Jadavpur University held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the unpardonable crime that occurred on the university’s premises involving the death of a fresher after his ragging. The conference also aims to put forth a demand involving asking the former students no longer associated with the university to vacate the hostel immediately.
