Jadavpur University has informed the state human rights commission that although there is no administrative order disallowing the entry of police into the campus, cops' entry in 2005 and 2014 had triggered “large-scale demonstrations and uproar" in society.
JU registrar Snehamanju Basu told this to the rights panel on Tuesday in response to queries following the death of a first-year student, who had allegedly been ragged and thrown from a second-floor balcony of JU Main Hostel.
The rights panel in a communication to Basu on August 17 had sought to know: “On what circulars/orders/law provisions, police/PS are disallowed to enter JU campus on regular basis to check the delinquents, criminal activities and prevent them? What is the conventional mode and please substantiate with legal provisions?"
The registrar has written in her reply: “There is, however, no administrative order regarding not allowing the police to enter JU campus."
She has referred to two police interventions on the campus — in June 2005 and September 2014.
In regard to the two incidents, Basu has written: "Police had entered the J.U. Campus in the night over which there was large-scale demonstration and uproar in the society...."
“The commission sent us certain questions and we have sent our replies," Basu told The Telegraph.
The police had moved into Jadavpur University in the dead of night in June 2005 and launched a baton charge to remove students who had refused to call off a fast-unto-death.
A molestation complaint had triggered events culminating in police action at JU on the night of September 16, 2014. The police forcibly removed the students who had kept the vice-chancellor and other senior officials confined in their offices.
A JU official said the police have since not entered the campus fearing protests by students.
The police have submitted in the court that a section of current and former students had stopped cops from entering JU Main Hostel by closing the gate from inside after the first-year student fell. Again, some current and former students allegedly prevented the police from reaching the injured student while he was being admitted to hospital.
The registrar has written in her report: “The commission may take note of the fact that in an atmosphere of confidence building... the focus has to be dedicated to the preservation of academic atmosphere...."
Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya (retired), chairperson of the state human rights commission, said: “I have heard Jadavpur University has sent a report. We are yet to go through it."