A month after JU student's death, ragging probe panel advice not yet fulfilled

NEW DELHI: One month after the death of an undergraduate student at the Jadavpur University boys' hostel allegedly after ragging by seniors, the recommendations made by a committee to stop the menace are yet to be implemented as the varsity is waiting for the Executive Committee meeting to vet those proposals.

The Executive Committee (EC) is the highest decision-making body of the premier university here. Officiating Vice-Chancellor Buddhadeb Sau said, "The committee has made certain recommendations such as disciplinary action against some students and earmarking some hostels for freshers and some others for seniors. We have to wait for the EC meeting to see all the recommendations light of the day.”

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The committee was set up after the death of the 17-year-old youth on August 10 after falling from the second-floor balcony of the boys’ main hostel the previous night.

His family alleged that he was a victim of ragging. Asked when the EC meeting will take place, Sau said, "We hope it will be held soon." Sau told PTI that the university has the intent to put in place steps like installing CCTVs at strategic points like entry gates of the campus and near hostel buildings but there is a procedure and mechanism for that.

A university official said while the proposed disciplinary steps, including expulsion of four students and suspension of one year for several others, were not yet implemented, the boys' main hostel has already been converted to accommodate undergraduate first-year students only.

The committee, which submitted its report last week, had suggested that four students be expelled for their alleged involvement in the August 9 incident of ragging, and that the university lodge FIRs against six former students who were staying in the hostel illegally and played a role in the ragging, the official said.

These four students to be expelled have been arrested. About the installation of CCTVs, the officiating VC said that an IT firm of the West Bengal government has already been awarded the contract. "We can't expedite the process of installing. Ask the company for any update," he said when asked about the possible date when the CCTVs will come up on the campus and why they were not yet set up, one month after the incident.

Jadavpur University Teachers' Association General Secretary Partha Pratim Roy told PTI that it has submitted a memorandum to the officiating VC with proposals like forming an anti-ragging committee and squad and making it active, regular counselling of students, particularly freshers, improving hostel infrastructure and administration, setting up a 24x7 helpline and installation of CCTVs.

"We have seen in media reports that the higher education department allotted Rs 37 lakh to the university for CCTV installation at certain points. We also heard that the JU authorities have given the contract to install CCTVs. But till this date, no discussions were held about the spots where the CCTVs will come up," Roy said.