The 17-year-old student of Jadavpur University, who died in the early hours of August 10 after falling from the second floor of the University main hostel, was not only ragged by his seniors but sexually abused too, a report by the internal complaints committee (ICC) said.
The committee said that ragging in JU hostels was a regular phenomenon as evident from the large number of complaints lodged with the UGC (University Grants Committee) helpline.
Student sexually abused
“From close investigation of the issue, the committee is of the view that (the deceased student -- name withheld) was ragged in isolation by a group of seniors and ex-students on the night of 9th August and was severely abused sexually too [as he was evidently found being paraded naked amidst a mob of seniors]; and also (as reported) he vehemently protested against being labelled as gay,” the report of the ICC said.
The 46- page report of the ICC set up on August 10 highlights in detail what happened at the University hostel on the evening of August 9. The committee records the “utter humiliation” faced by the deceased student, “standing stark naked in front of seniors at the well-lit lobby on the 2nd floor”.
Inquiries by the ICC revealed that a mob of around 20 seniors and pass-outs were present on the upper and lower staircases, blocking any escape.
While the committee pointed out that it was not able to arrive at a firm conclusion for the reasons behind this humiliation and the final act of the tragic fall, it added that it was possibly a case of “abetted incident” or a “homicide”.
During the evening, the first year student of the University’s Bengali department was forced to ‘shout swear words’ at the police quarters next to the hostel. “Sourav Chowdhury further menaced the victim, saying the ‘police would be pursuing him for his language’. At this point ( the student) took fright and started crying. Almost simultaneously, he felt stomach pain and sat down clutching his abdomen,” the ICC report said.
Sourav Chowdhury, who passed out of the University’s Mathematics department, was the first to be arrested by the police in connection with the incident. The Kolkata Police has arrested 13 persons, students and former students in connection with the death. The accused have been booked under the POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act 2012 among other charges. The probe committee has identified six former students and four senior students involved with the incident and suggested that FIRs be lodged against them. Some of those named by the ICC have already been arrested by the police. The ICC has also recommended transfer of hostel superintendents and security officials for dereliction of duty.
Conspiracy to supress facts
The committee which spoke to scores of students, ex-students, university officials and employees also said that there was a ‘conspiracy to suppress’ the facts related to the incidents on August 9 and 10 at Jadavpur University main hostel which included cleaning of blood stains and calling of a general body meeting after the student fell.
“A general narrative regarding the incident was presented before the hostellers and all the boarders were required to follow the narrative in toto while being interrogated by police, media or University authority,” the report said.
The committee also took note of the role of Dean of Students Rajat Ray and Registrar Snehamanju Basu. While the Dean deposed before the committee that “he has been abused badly on different occasions by the students of the Hostel in different places for being strict and trying to implement existing rules” the Registrar pointed out that she “was advised by the then VC to refrain from this type of vigilance inside the campus for her own security”.
Questions have also been raised on allocation of hostel rooms by the authorities. The report states that the Jadavpur University Main Hostel has an official boarder strength of 96 but 28 outsiders/non boarders, were allowed by the ‘mess committee’ to stay in the block unofficially.
The ICC report suggests a number of steps which include separate hostels for both UG 1 and UG 2 students within the campus and entry registers to be maintained at all entry points in all campuses, teaching and hostel campuses alike. “As a part of a strong vigilance measure, the university may install CCTV cameras at entry and exit points in the teaching and administrative campuses as well as in the hostel campus,” the report added.
