New Delhi: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Thursday sought explanation from Jadavpur University over the absence of CCTV cameras in the hostel premises in the wake of the death of a first-year student earlier last week, news agency PTI reported. NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo also wrote to Manoj Malviya, DG of West Bengal Police, seeking necessary action into the incident and asked to submit an action taken report to the commission with seven days.
Earlier last week, 19-year-old Bengali Honours student, Swapnadip Kundu, died after reportedly falling from the second-floor of the university’s main hostel, sparking allegations of ragging in the campus.
“The Commission has come across news reports regarding death of minor first-year undergraduate student of Bengali Department of Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, wherein it has been alleged that the victim student died after falling from the balcony of second floor of the main hostel building. According to reports, the family of the victim has alleged that their son was a victim of ragging. It has further come to the notice that the identified suspects allegedly forced Kundu to cut his hair in a specific style and subjected him to a humiliating “intro” session where he was asked to provide physical details to his seniors,” the NCPCR letter read.
“In view of the above, the Commission thereby requests your good offices to inquire into the matter and take necessary action. Further an action taken report may be submitted to the Commission within seven days of receipt of this letter,” it added.
"Furthermore, the Commission has been apprised that there were no CCTV cameras installed in the hostel premises, which is a violation of the UGC Guidelines on Safety of Students On and Off Campuses of Higher Educational Institutions," the letter read.
Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the university that the latter has not taken proactive steps to curb ragging, and the commission is not happy with the report submitted by the university’s anti-ragging committee in the wake of the incident.