• By JE News Desk
  • Mon, 14 Aug 2023 08:41 PM (IST)
  • Source:ANI
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The Calcutta High Court on Monday granted permission to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding ragging in educational institutions. This came against the backdrop of a first-year Jadavpur University student's death last week. The PIL was filed by Advocate Sayan Banerjee. The matter is likely to be heard this week.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal calling for a report into the matter. “The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal calling for a report on the matter within four weeks. It should include the reasons for the prima facie failure of the institution to take adequate steps to prevent ragging in accordance with the UGC regulation, and the steps taken or proposed to punish the perpetrators of the ragging including its abettors and sympathizers,” the NHRC said in a press release.

The Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has said that the statutory body is preliminarily of the opinion that the case should be dealt under the provisions of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) as it has emerged that the deceased was under 18 years of age.

"We have asked for an FIR copy filed after his fall from the balcony and his death from the police. We have also perused his other documents including age-related ones. And going by the chain of events, as narrated, leading to the death of the minor, prima facie we have reason to suggest that it be dealt with under POCSO," WBCPCR chief Sudeshna Roy was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

So far, a total of three accused have been arrested in connection with the case. One of the arrested individuals has been identified as Sourabh Chowdhury, an ex-student of the Kolkata-based university. As per reports, he had completed his MSc in Mathematics in 2022 and was living in the hostel illegally.

The victim, a first-year student of the Bengali Department, belonged to the state's Nadia district. He fell from the balcony of the main hostel building of the university during Wednesday (August 9) late evening hours, following which he was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. His family has alleged ragging to be the reason behind his death. Sources in the police cited by media outlets have said that they are looking into the possibility of a sexual harassment angle.

Citing preliminary postmortem reports, officials informed that Kundu suffered severe injury to the left side of the head, and his left rib and pelvis were fractured due to the impact of the fall.

 

(With inputs from agencies)