An 18-year-old first-year student of Jadavpur University, Swapnodeep Kundu, died on August 9, 2023, after falling from the second floor balcony of the Jadavpur University Main Hostel. His family has alleged that he was being ragged by his seniors.
Swapnodeep was a resident of Bagula in Nadia district, and he was an undergraduate student of Bengali (honors). He had joined the university on August 7, 2023. On the night of August 9, he was allegedly ragged by his seniors in the hostel. He was found unconscious on the road in front of the hostel around 11:45 pm. He was taken to a private hospital, where he died at around 4:30 am on August 10.
Swapnodeep’s family has alleged that he was being ragged by his seniors for being from a rural background and for being a member of the SC community. They have also alleged that the university authorities did not take any action when they complained about the ragging.
The police have detained an ex-student of the university, identified as Anirban Das, in connection with the case. Das is a resident of Dum Dum in Kolkata. He was allegedly present in the hostel on the night of the incident. The police are questioning Das to find out if he was involved in ragging Swapnodeep.
The university has set up a three-member committee to probe the incident. The committee is headed by professor Pradip Ghosh, the dean of students’ welfare. The other members of the committee are professor Sukumar Ghosh, the head of the Bengali department, and professor Prasanta Banerjee, the proctor of the university. The committee has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.
The death of Swapnodeep Kundu has sparked protests in Jadavpur University. Students have been demanding the arrest of the accused ragging perpetrators. They have also been demanding that the university take steps to prevent ragging in the future.
Ragging is a serious problem in Indian universities. It is often used by seniors to bully and intimidate freshers. In some cases, ragging has led to the death of students. The university authorities need to take strong steps to prevent ragging and ensure the safety of students.
Current updates
- The police have arrested two more people in connection with the case, including a current student of the university.
- The university has suspended the hostel warden and two other employees.
- The university has also announced a number of measures to prevent ragging, including a 24-hour helpline and a new anti-ragging committee.
- The students have called off their protests after the university took action against the accused.
The death of Swapnodeep Kundu is a tragedy, and it is a reminder that ragging is still a serious problem in Indian universities. The university authorities need to take strong steps to prevent ragging and ensure the safety of students.
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