Fresh ragging charge against hostel seniors by Jadavpur student

JU student alleges harassment by seniors in boys' hostel; VC orders anti-ragging committee to investigate. Postgrad student claims mental torture, physical gestures, cold glares, and inability to study due to fear. JUTA general secretary calls for speedy investigation.

A postgraduate student of Jadavpur University, which was in the eye of the storm after the death of a fresher due to alleged ragging, on Wednesday levelled harassment charges against some seniors of the boys’ hostel.

The complaints by the arts department student came a week after the university barred the entry of six students, who were allegedly involved in the incident that led to the death of the fresher in August. The six were barred from the campus indefinitely.

A senior faculty member said the philosophy department postgraduate student complained in a mail to the Dean of Arts that he was subjected to various kinds of mental torture and abuses after being tasked by the hostel mess committee with buying essentials from the local market over the size of fish and vegetables.

“I am not feeling safe as I am being subjected to physical gestures and cold glares by some boarders. Neither is it possible for me to carry on my study from outside. Please take me out of the particular block where I stay now and shift (me) to another hostel in the campus,” the student added.

JU officiating Vice-Chancellor Buddhadeb Sau said, “I have heard it [about the mail by the student]. Let the convener of the anti-ragging committee examine the matter.” Expressing concern over the complaint, the Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association general secretary Partha Pratim Roy called for a speedy investigation.