According to Jadavpur University student leaders, placing CCTV cameras on campus is not a one-stop solution for preventing ragging incidences. “CCTVs can only assist in determining who the perpetrator is. However, CCTVs will not assist to eliminate ragging,” claimed Subhodeep Bandyopadhyay, General Secretary of the Kolkata SFI.
To back up their argument, another student representative questioned how well the Panchayat elections were conducted under CCTV cameras in terms of preventing or solving crime.
“Despite the presence of CCTVs, violence occurred during the West Bengal panchayat election.” On the basis of their evidence, no arrests could be made. We can’t even say the election was fair. “The narrative about installing CCTVs on campus is being introduced now just to divert attention away from the main issue,” said Aafrin Begum, a state committee member of SFI.
Aafrin emphasised the need of ex-students leaving the hostel, saying, “We have seen that many students who have passed out continue to stay in hostels.” They do not care if authorities take action against them. Following the tragedy, hostellers have finally unified against them.”
Aafrin told ANI that “UG1 (Undergraduate first-year) students should be placed in another hostel in accordance with UGC guidelines.” The procedure has already started. We should be given a list of pass-out students who are still staying in the hostel.”
The student leader slammed the hostel supervisors, saying, “Hostel supers (supervisors) have been kept on duty so that such kinds of incidents do not happen.” How can they not notice if a student falls? How can they be unaware of ragging incidents? How can they be unaware of seniors who bully students? Seniors should be recognised, questioned, and punished.”
Aafrin stated, “We do not believe that any organisation promotes ragging.” We want all organisations in Jadavpur to stand together against ragging. We are almost unanimous in our will to complete this task. The 2% are individuals who engage in ragging and intimidate pupils into submitting to ragging. “We must break those who want to maintain this culture (of ragging) in the university.”
Subhodeep Bandyopadhyay went on to say, “It is not fair to blame the entire Jadavpur community for the ragging incident.” Ragging has become a way of life for a select few. However, we have already spoken out against this ragging culture and will continue to do so in the future. We do not believe that any union encourages or supports ragging. Ragging is only practised by a few people.”
Two more students were arrested earlier on Sunday in connection with the Jadavpur University student death case, bringing the total number of arrests to three.
Swarnodip Kundu, a first-year student at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, died on Thursday after allegedly falling from the university’s hostel balcony on Wednesday night. Kundu, a first-year Bengali Department student, was from the state’s Nadia area.
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