Jadavpur University on Monday set up a committee to probe why the university’s medical superintendent who went to rescue a first-year MTech student, who was allegedly forced to attend a kangaroo court at the main hostel, was detained by students and told to write an undertaking.
Asked why the university will not probe the alleged humiliation and harassment of the student, Biswajit Pramanik, by fellow hostel residents, JU’s interim vice-chancellor Bhaskar Gupta cited the fact that the student had refused to lodge a formal complaint.
“The inquiry committee has been primarily constituted to find out why the medical superintendent was prevented from discharging her duties on Wednesday night,” Gupta said.
“The student concerned, despite being repeatedly asked, did not want to lodge a complaint. So there is apparently no room to probe any harassment charges. However, if the committee decides to go beyond probing the allegations of the medical superintendent, it would be their call,” Gupta said.
The inquiry committee will have four members: a member of JU’s anti-ragging squad, a university official and two external members. One of the external members will be a legal expert and the other a doctor.
When Metro spoke to Biswajit on Monday, the student said he was still disturbed by Wednesday’s episode, where “60-70 students stood against” him and allegedly forced him to admit that he had stolen a laptop.
“I was shocked. I had not expected 60-70 students to gang up on me. They forced me to admit that I had stolen a student’s laptop. I don’t intend to lodge any complaint against anyone but the incident of that night has left me disturbed,” said Biswajit.
“The way a section of hostel residents charged at me triggered a panic attack and I had to be admitted to hospital. I believe the entire incident could have been handled in a more civilised way.”
Biswajit was discharged from the hospital on Thursday. He is staying at a relative’s house in the city. He has not attended classes till Monday.
“I don’t know when I will go back to the campus. It depends on the situation on the campus. I am not sure whether I can return to room No. 10 of CD Block where I stayed. I am now at a relative’s house so I can at least attend classes,” he said.
A JU meeting, attended by the university’s top officials, decided to probe the medical superintendent’s allegations. Deb was called into that meeting for about five minutes.
“The vice-chancellor has promised that I will be provided with security and transport during my hostel visits,” Deb told Metro.
“Since I am required to do administrative work, I have requested the university to engage a part-time doctor who can carry out the responsibilities of a medical practitioner.”
Deb had earlier alleged that the students tried to stop her multiple times while she was taking a traumatised Biswajit out of the hostel on Wednesday night. The students in the corridor outside Biswajit’s room had demanded a written undertaking from the doctor before allowing him to move out with her.
Outside, she was told to leave alone and that the ambulance with Biswajit would start later.
One Monday, Deb said: “I was prevented from coming out of the hostel with the student. I am happy that the university has decided to probe my harassment. Hopefully, the university will carry out a fair inquiry,” she said.
“The VC lauded me for the fact that I went to the hostel that night and took steps to rescue the student,” said Deb.
In August last year, when the university authorities received an alert that a first-year undergraduate student was in distress in the same hostel, no official went to the hostel. The student was allegedly thrown from a second-floor balcony of the hostel that night and he died the next morning.
JU registrar Snehamanju Basu told this newspaper that show-cause letters will be issued on Tuesday to the students who were found guilty in JU’s internal probe of ragging the undergraduate student.