JU boy lodges ragging complaint

KOLKATA: A complaint of ragging has been lodged by a first-year engineering student of Jadavpur University (JU) with the helpline of University Grants Commission (UGC).

The student has complained of physical torture and harassment by seniors in his hostel. "We have received a letter from the UGC informing us of the complaint. It requested the university to look into the matter," said JU registrar Pradip Kumar Ghosh.

He added, "We received the letter before the puja vacations. Since then, we have consistently tried to contact the victim who has alleged ragging. He is refusing to cooperate and is elusive. He resides outside the city and has not yet returned to the campus." The complaint has been lodged against three seniors. "We have not yet been able to form a committee to look into the matter since the fact-finding is still pending," informed Ghosh.

A first-year JU student complained on September 29 that he was subjected to intense physical and mental torture by senior engineering students at his hostel on the night of September 27. The student said his alleged tormentors threatened him with dire consequences if he went to the authorities against them. "A committee has already been formed to look into the matter. It is investigating the case," said the registrar.

On January 14, 2009, JU took the unprecedented decision of slapping a fine of Rs 5,000 on some students and Rs 10,000 on former students involved in ragging a girl of the architecture department a year earlier.