Jadavpur student death case: police file murder charges against unidentified students

Protests erupt inside the university demanding fair probe; students hold rally; father claims son called his mother frantically before incident

Students staging protests at Jadavpur University on Friday a day after a first-year student was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the university hostel. | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI

The Kolkata police on Friday registered a first information report (FIR) under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC against unidentified students in connection with the death of a first-year student of Jadavpur University. The police also detained a senior student in connection with the incident.

Swapnadeep Kundu allegedly fell from the balcony on the second floor of the university’s main hostel building. He was declared dead by the doctors in the early hours of August 10. The university has set up an internal committee to probe his death. The FIR was filed after his father Ramaprasad Kundu gave a complaint at the Jadavpur police station.

Roads blocked

On Friday, protests erupted at university with the students bringing out a rally inside the premises, demanding “Justice for Swapnadeep”. Students from different faculties sought an impartial probe into his. Meanwhile, activists of the BJP staged protests and blocked roads outside the police station.

Dean of Students of Jadavpur University Rajat Ray told a news channel that on the night before the incident, a student had called him saying some students were forcing others to jump from the hostel balcony.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached out to the bereaved family and spoke to the student’s father over phone.

Governor C.V. Ananda Bose visited the university hostel while the West Bengal Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the police.

Mr. Kundu had alleged that his son was subjected to ragging. Swapnadeep was admitted to the Bengali Department of the university earlier this week. He had attended classes for only three days. He said that his son had made frantic calls to his mother on the night of August 9.

Questions are being raised on how students who have completed their courses were staying at the university hostel. A section of faculty members also raised questions that no accountability can be fixed since the university does not have a full time Vice-Chancellor (V-C) because of the tussle between the State government and Raj Bhawan.

Published - August 12, 2023 12:14 am IST