JU PG student allegedly harassed for 5 hours over anti-ragging stand

A second-year postgraduate student of Jadavpur University (JU), Arani Ghosh, has alleged that he was confined and harassed for over five hours inside the university’s Main Hostel on Tuesday. Ghosh, a student of the film studies department, stated in his complaint that a group of seniors, some of whom were named in a previous ragging case, targeted him for speaking out against ragging on campus.

The incident reportedly took place in Room 25 of the hostel’s A1 Block. Ghosh had gone to meet a friend, who left for Iftar around 5 PM. Shortly after, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and a fourth-year computer science engineering student arrived with several hostel boarders. According to Ghosh’s complaint, the group verbally abused him, accused him of maligning hostel students, and threatened him for his involvement in anti-ragging activities on campus.

Ghosh stated that he was forced to write an apology for a social media post he had made in 2024 regarding ragging at JU. He alleged that the students dictated the apology and insisted that he post it online. He also claimed that one of the accused used a bamboo flute to intimidate him, hitting it against the bed while issuing threats. The harassment reportedly continued until 10 PM, with non-boarders from various engineering departments joining in.

Among the accused is a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who had been named in the university’s probe into the August 2023 ragging case that resulted in the death of first-year student Swapnadeep Kundu. The university suspended him for four semesters in 2024, but the decision could not be implemented as he challenged it in court. Ghosh stated that he had confronted this student in July 2024 while distributing anti-ragging leaflets near the Tequip building, leading to tensions between them.

JU Vice-Chancellor Bhaskar Gupta confirmed that the university has received the complaint and formed an inquiry committee. "We are looking into the matter from every aspect," he said. Dean of Students Rajat Roy also acknowledged the complaint, stating that the anti-ragging squad would begin its probe and record Ghosh’s statement soon.

The incident has raised concerns about the persistence of ragging at JU, despite previous cases and administrative measures. Following the 2023 incident, the university relocated first-year students to a separate hostel and initiated plans to install CCTV cameras at hostel gates. However, multiple students and faculty members have questioned the effectiveness of these measures, citing repeated instances of harassment.