The employees of Jadavpur University backed by Trinamool Congress held a procession inside the University demanding action against those involved in the death of a first-year student on the campus on August 10.
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri
Four days after the death of a first-year student of Jadavpur University, politics took centre stage on Monday, with several processions organised over the incident, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging that “Marxists” were responsible for the incident.
The employees’ association of the university, backed by the Trinamool Congress, organised a procession inside the university premises. While those who joined the procession said that the authorities had to ensure there was no ragging on the campus, their target was the university’s student union.
The elected student union at Jadavpur University has over several years been controlled by Left-leaning bodies, and the Trinamool Congress, despite being in power in the State for 12 years, has not been able to win the students’ support.
The Chief Minister while speaking at a public meeting on Monday, referred to a telephone conversation with the father of the deceased student and said that he had sought justice from her.
“Who are these people [involved in the incident]? They are Marxists. Now they have been allying with the BJP, earlier they were working with the Congress,” Ms. Banerjee alleged.
The Chief Minister said that “Marxists” had not allowed the installation of CCTV (close circuit television) cameras at the Jadavpur University campus.
The students’ union of the university was opposed to the installation of CCTV cameras some years ago. Over the past few days, a section of students has argued that not having CCTV cameras could not be the reason for the death of a first-year student, who fell from the second floor of the university’s main hostel on August 10.
A procession was also organised by the Student Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in the city’s College Street area, in protest against the incident. CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty asked why the Trinamool Congress government had not acted against ragging, and raised questions over why the university did not have a full-time Vice-Chancellor.
Jadavpur University, like all the State-run universities in West Bengal, does not have a full time Vice-Chancellor because of an ongoing tussle between the State government and the West Bengal Governor.
The first-year student of the Bengali Department of the university fell from the second floor of the university’s main hostel in the early hours of August 10. He was declared dead at a private health facility. Three persons, including two second year students and one alumnus, have been arrested in connection with the police complaint made by the victim’s father at the Jadavpur Police Station.
On Monday, Jadavpur University Registrar Snehamanju Basu arrived at the campus and said she had not been able to attend the university for the past four days as she had not been keeping well. A number of meetings, including that of an 11-member committee constituted to look into the death, were held on Monday. Later in the day, the University Registrar said that it was decided to install CCTV cameras at the university.
While the investigation is underway, allegations that the deceased student was a victim of ragging have been growing stronger. Family members of the deceased student have alleged ragging by seniors, including those arrested by the police. Other boarders of the university hostel have also said that they were harassed by their seniors.
While police officials have not gone on record to confirm ragging in this case, on Monday, a team of senior officials visited the hostel for a “crime scene recreation”.
Asked whether the police were considering bringing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a senior police official said, “We are still looking at it.” According to the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the deceased first year student was a minor.
Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought a report from the university over the death. A team of UGC officials is likely to visit the university on August 16.