Jadavpur University: Political Slugfest Begins Over Student's Death In Hostel

Kolkata: Jadavpur University has asked all first-year male boarders of the main hostel to temporarily shift to a new facility after an 18-year-old Bengali Honours undergraduate student died after falling from the balcony of the building.

Swapnadip Kundu, a resident of Bagula in Nadia district, fell from a balcony at the main hostel building around 11.45 pm on Wednesday and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital around 4.30 am on Thursday, according to police.

Fellow first-year student Arpan Majhi alleged that Kundu's death was caused by ragging by a few hostel seniors. Initial probe revealed that the student was bullied allegedly by some senior boarders of the hostel, police said.

Governor assures action against suspects

Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is chancellor of the university, visited the hostel and assured Kundu's father of stern action against those responsible for his son's death. "It seems that the student was mentally distressed after seniors started calling him gay. He called up his mother at least four times on Wednesday and deactivated his Facebook account in the evening," a police officer said. "As directed, all undergraduate first-year students for the session 2023-24 allotted to A-1 and A-2 blocks of the main hostel are instructed to shift temporarily to the new boys' hostel within today itself," a JU notification issued on Thursday said.

"It is further notified that no passed-out students as well as outsiders are allowed to stay in the hostels with immediate effect. Hostel superintendents are requested to send the names of such passed-out students or outsiders, as the case may be, who do not comply with the said instruction," it added.

Political blame game erupts

The incident triggered a political row with BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar blaming the state administration for its alleged failure to bring in "true governance" in the education sector, drawing a sharp rebuttal from Education Minister Bratya Basu who asked the saffron party not to politicise the matter.

Basu, in a social media post, said, "A loss of a promising flower nipped at its bud is a great loss of Bengal and her society. I also strongly deplore such heinous acts..." he said, alluding to allegations that Kundu died after being ragged by hostel seniors.

Majumdar, on the other hand, alleged that the incident showed that the West Bengal government has failed to establish "true governance" in the education sector."@MamataOfficial has failed to eradicate a heinous crime like ragging... Shame on WB government... My deepest condolences with the family of Swapnadeep Kundu," he tweeted.

In another tweet in Bengali, the senior BJP leader said, "Without abetment by the administration, student organisations like TMCP, SFI, DSF cannot carry on crimes like ragging on university campus. I promise every kind of legal help to his family." In a sharp rebuttal, Basu claimed that the BJP was finding fault with the state government in every unfortunate occurrence.

"I am tweeting this and if a leaf falls from the tree, it will be the lacuna of state government according to them," he said. Stating that Bose is the chancellor of JU, Basu said, "Jadavpur University is under the direct control of the Governor. So, it is his failure and in turn the failure of his political masters to control this deplorable incident!"

Former head of the department of international relations in JU and ex-vice-chancellor of North Bengal University, Prof Omprakash Mishra, told PTI, the "sorry state of affairs in JU, which has been without a full-time VC for quite some time, has also contributed to the tragedy involving Swapnadip as there is none at the top to crack the whip which is needed at this hour." "I think the Governor, who is the chancellor of the institution, is also responsible for the turn of events as he had appointed an interim VC and then asked him to step down," Mishra said.

Students demand 'Justice for Swapnadeep'

Right-wing students body ABVP demonstrated outside one of the four main gates of JU demanding 'Justice for Swapnadeep' and an end to "the inhuman practice of ragging," in future.

The ABVP also blamed the CPI(M) students' wing alleging it had never reined in the 'tormentor' senior hostel inmates and showed intent to stop ragging.

SFI-controlled AFSU on Thursday condemned the incident and said a thorough probe was needed into the chain of events leading to the boy's fall. Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad also held a meeting on the campus expressing shock over the death of the student.