Jadavpur University Professor Goes on Fast Over Ragging Death
Lahiri is upset with the university's "inordinate delay" in acting against those reportedly responsible for ragging a student who died hours later after falling from a dormitory balcony.
Professor Iman Kalyan Lahiri of the international relations department at Jadavpur University went on a fast on Thursday due to the university's "inordinate delay" in acting against those reportedly responsible for ragging a student who died hours later after falling from a dormitory balcony more than three months ago.
Lahiri said he is also upset with the decision that JU has stopped accepting applications for PhD programs in the arts. He told PTI, "I started this commotion because JU authorities did not take action against those suspected of ragging even after multiple meetings of the university's anti-ragging committee and squad."
He said the other cause for the uproar was the university's decision to stop accepting applications for PhD programs in the arts. Officials claim that the acting vice-chancellor has declared that admissions are not permitted without the executive committee's approval.
Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) has stated that its members will support Lahiri morally. After registrar Snehamanju Basu requested Lahiri to stop making noise, he declared he would not stop until his requests were met. Additionally, he insisted on meeting vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau in person.
Partha Pratim Roy general secretary of JUTA said, "We will submit a proposal to address both of Lahiri's demands at the executive committee meeting."
In a letter to Sau on Wednesday, JUTA expressed worry over the "inordinate delay in imposing punishment" on the students who were reportedly involved in ragging. The letter said, "We note with deep concern that disciplinary action against the convicted persons in the death of a first-year student has not yet been taken in spite of a series of meetings of anti-ragging committee and anti-ragging squad of the university."
In a report that was submitted to the university two months earlier, JU's anti-bullying squad recommended that 35 senior students who were living in the varsity hostel where the UG student had died be expelled.
