NHRC issues notices to Jadavpur University, West Bengal government over student’s death

NEW DELHI: The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Jadavpur University registrar and West Bengal government over the death of a student due to alleged ragging.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the NHRC said a first-year student of Jadavpur University, Kolkata, became a “victim of ragging” and died on August 10. “Reportedly, the fellow students of the victim had tried to bring the matter to the notice of the dean (Jadavpur University) but unfortunately, their efforts went in vain,” NHRC said.

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A first-year student of Jadavpur University, Swarnodip Kundu, allegedly committed suicide after he jumped off the second-floor balcony of the main hostel. One of his friends had alleged ragging by some seniors for the extreme step.

The NHRC said the media report indicates lack of supervision, negligence, and inherent failure of the college administration due to which a young student lost life. The commission said it sees a violation of the student’s human rights.

In the notice issued to West Bengal government chief secretary, the NHRC has asked it to file a report in the matter within four weeks. “It (report) should include the reasons for the prima facie failure of the institution to take adequate steps to prevent ragging in accordance with the UGC (University Grants Commission) regulation, and the steps taken or proposed to punish the perpetrators of the ragging including its abettors and sympathisers,” the NHRC notice said.

The report should also include the steps initiated by the West Bengal government for spreading awareness regarding the menace of ragging, the NHRC notice said.

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A notice has also been issued to the West Bengal director general of police. The NHRC has asked the police to mention the status of the criminal case registered against all the responsible students, and teaching and non-teaching staff of the college concerned.

The NHRC has also issued a notice to the Jadavpur University registrar to submit a detailed report regarding the steps taken for effective implementation of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee report to solve the problem of ragging in the university.