The Calcutta High Court has opted to withhold its rulings in the Jadavpur University death case until it receives input from the university’s students. This decision follows petitions requesting the court’s involvement in the case of a first-year student’s fatal fall from a hostel building on August 9. The student died early the following morning in a nearby hospital. Police investigations have led to 12 arrests, including current and former students found residing illegally on campus. Charges of murder and conspiracy have been filed.
During the proceedings, senior advocate and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee raised concerns about the university’s response to alleged ragging incidents, which are believed to be the cause of the student’s death. Banerjee informed the court that the university did not file an FIR when the incident occurred, and students who took the injured student to the hospital did not file a complaint either. It was the boy’s parents who lodged a complaint.
Banerjee also revealed that the police’s access to the hostel was hindered, and the gates were locked. The police were initially stopped from entering the hostel, but they eventually received information about a taxi taking the injured student to the hospital, prompting their intervention.
The court expressed its intent to hear the views of the students in the matter and emphasized its concern for the university campus. It indicated that if a recognized student union exists, they could be included in the proceedings.
Banerjee further highlighted that CCTV cameras were installed on campus in 2012, but student protests led to their removal. He suggested that some university officials might have made decisions to gain popularity among students, contributing to the current situation.
The Advocate General of the state, SN Mookerjee, agreed that ragging had become a pervasive issue and stated that students are unable to regulate and maintain harmony on campus. He mentioned that the police had been denied access to the hostel, and a case has been lodged.
The court also inquired about a student’s statement that equated the university campus to their second home, where they believed they had the right to smoke and drink.
As the court debated the issues of protests and public inconvenience, it raised the question of whether the university should consider closing down the hostel if it continues to gain notoriety for the wrong reasons. The case will resume on September 5 for further proceedings.
In parallel, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has also moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the activities at the university campus. BJP Leader Rajarshi Lahiri pointed to the arrest of a Jadavpur University student in 2022 for alleged Maoist links, as well as the connection between the student killed and their shared hometown.
