JU student death: Varsity stakeholders say despite sanction, CCTVs not yet installed

Kolkata, Sep 12 (PTI) A day after the death of a third-year undergraduate student at Jadavpur University, the authorities on Friday admitted to serious gaps in campus security and surveillance, attributing the lapses to delays in fund release from the state government.

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 around 9.40 pm on Thursday — hours after a folk music programme organised by the university's drama club.

She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead.

Jadavpur University 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 university authorities were yet to get requisite funds to execute the decision.

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 quotation to the university for the project. We are waiting for 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 was not clear.

Students' Federation of India JU unit President Russell Pervez described the incident as tragic and said the union was cooperating with police investigation.

He called for the immediate release of security-related funds and the appointment of a full-time vice chancellor to streamline the university’s functioning and said the SFI always stood for proper surveillance on the campus.

Former SFI member of the university Joyadrita Roy said, "Being an alumnus of the university, we are shocked over the incident. Despite not regularly visiting the campus, I had been in touch with my alma mater with which I had been associated only a year-and-a-half ago.

"After hearing about the incident last midnight, we are again in contact with each other on social media. 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 I-card," she said.

Meanwhile, activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (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 said the incident took place near the SFI union room near Gate No 4.

"We demand installation of CCTVs and permanent police posting inside the campus to prevent such unnatural deaths," he said.

This incident comes two years after the death of a first-year Bengali Honours student at the boys’ hostel, who died after falling from a hostel balcony following alleged ragging and molestation.

The case had sparked widespread outrage and led to multiple arrests, including of former students. PTI SUS MNB