JU student death: Varsity officials admit campus security gaps which, police say, may hamper probe

Kolkata, Sep 12 (PTI) A day after the unnatural death of a third-year undergraduate student at Jadavpur University, institution authorities admitted to gaps in campus security and surveillance, a loophole that found resonance among sleuths who said blind spots outside CCTV coverage areas could compromise the probe into the tragedy.

While varsity authorities attributed the lapses to delays in fund release from the state government, police said they were relying on CCTV camera footage reviews and post-mortem examination reports of the victim to take the investigation forward.

The deceased, Anamika Mondal, a resident of Nimta in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district and a student of English (Honours), was rescued from a pond in unconscious state beside the undergraduate arts building of the main campus around 9.40 pm on Thursday.

She was rushed to the adjacent KPC Medical College and Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

JU Pro-Vice Chancellor Amitava Dutta said, "We are devastated by the death of a student who was like our daughter. The university is looking into the chain of events and circumstances surrounding the incident and is fully cooperating with the police, who have inspected the site near Gate No. 4 where she was found." Dutta said a decision was taken by the executive council to bring the entire campus area under CCTV surveillance in August, but authorities were yet to get requisite funds to execute the decision.

A team of forensic experts, meanwhile, also collected evidence related to the death of the 22-year-old student from the site where her body was recovered.

"There are three CCTV cameras installed near the site of the incident. One is mounted on the Arts Faculty building and directly faces Gate No. 4. That camera can capture footage of anyone entering or exiting through the gate. A second camera is at the gate's entrance and is believed to cover the front area. The third is positioned to the left after entry, facing another entrance of the Arts Faculty. Footage from these cameras is currently under review," a Kolkata Police officer said.

As part of the investigation, police are also examining whether Anamika went alone toward the narrow path along the pond, which leads to a toilet adjacent to the union room. However, the stretch along the pond bank has been identified as a 'blind spot', meaning it is not covered by any of the cameras, the officer noted.

"The lack of surveillance in such critical areas may complicate efforts to establish a clear timeline or determine if foul play was involved," he said.

Regarding the cause of death, the officer said police are awaiting the post-mortem examination report.

"Whether the woman drowned or whether she was murdered cannot be confirmed until we receive the autopsy findings," he said.

Jadavpur University Teachers Association general secretary Partha Pratim Roy said the EC had okayed the decision to install 50 CCTVs on the main campus and 20 on the varsity's Salt Lake campus.

"Representatives from a state IT firm, who had installed the CCTVs near the main gates after the death of a first-year UG student in August 2023, even surveyed the spots where the cameras can be installed and gave quotations for the job. We are waiting for the release of funds from the higher education department," he said.

Roy also highlighted the shortage of security personnel on campus, noting that while the campus spans around 2 km, only 80 guards are deployed, leaving many areas, particularly after dark, unmonitored.

The university had proposed the recruitment of 60 additional permanent security staff, but the process is yet to move forward.

Regarding the incident, the Pro-VC said the university had given permission for the cultural programme, but it was unclear whether the event extended beyond permitted hours.

"We are verifying why the deceased and others were present near the pond late at night," he said.

The student was seen chatting with her classmates near the waterbody earlier in the evening, a university official said, adding the circumstances behind her falling unconscious were not clear.

Students' Federation of India JU unit president Russell Pervez described the incident as tragic and called for immediate release of security-related funds and the appointment of a full-time vice chancellor to streamline the university's functioning.

Former SFI member of the university Joyadrita Roy said, "Being an alumnus, I am shocked over the incident. So far my knowledge goes, the AFSU room near the gate comes under the reach of CCTV at the gate. There should be greater surveillance on the campus and none should be allowed to enter the campus after 8 pm without an I-card," she said.

Meanwhile, activists from the ABVP staged a protest near Gate No. 4, demanding action against alleged drug and liquor abuse on campus and better security infrastructure.

Trinamool Chhatra Parishad state president Trinankur Bhattacharya in a statement also demanded installation of CCTVs and permanent police posting inside the campus. PTI SUS SCH SMY MNB