First year student of the Jadavpur University Swapnadeep Kundu fell from second floor of the university’s main hostel in the early hours of August 10.
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri
The Kolkata Police on Sunday arrested two students of the Jadavpur University (JU) in connection with death of first year student Swapnadeep Kundu.
The police arrested Deepshekhar Dutta and Manotosh Ghosh, both in their second year, for their alleged role in the death. The arrested students were present at the hostel when 18-year-old Swapnadeep fell from the second floor.
On Saturday, the police arrested an alumni of the JU, Sourav Chowdhury, in connection with the death. Mr. Chowdhury had completed his M.Sc in 2022 but was staying in the hostel. Swapnadeep fell from second floor of the university’s main hostel in the early hours of August 10.
The death has brought to the fore allegations of ragging in the campus. Family members of the deceased student, including father Ramprasad Kundu, has alleged ragging by seniors. The police investigation so far has also suggested that the victim was subjected to ragging. A few students have said that seniors were asking first year students to introduce themselves. According to sources, the police are also probing a sexual harassment angle.
Swapnadeep, who hailed from Bagula in Nadia district, joined the university’s Bengali department and had attended classes for only a few days before the incident.
While ragging had been reported from several institutions in West Bengal, Swapnadeep’s death has sent shockwaves across the academic community. Students of the university took out processions demanding ‘Justice for Swapnadeep’.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reached out to his family and assured that action would be taken in the matter. Governor C.V. Ananda Bose also visited the university hostel after the incident. JU like all the State-run varsities does not have a full-time Vice-Chancellor. The Governor on June 1 entrusted Amitabha Datta, also pro-Vice-Chancellor of the JU, with the responsibility of performing the Vice-Chancellor’s duty. None of the 31 State-run universities has full-term Vice-Chancellors.