JU students forced to rub face against wall, crawl under beds, finds committee probing ragging
Kolkata (PTI): First-year students at Jadavpur University who lived at the boys' hostel were allegedly made to rub their faces against the wall and stay atop almirahs indefinitely, found a committee formed by the varsity to investigate incidents of ragging on campus.
The committee was formed after the death of an under-graduate student on August 10, allegedly due to ragging on campus.
"They were forced to strip down to their undergarments, and then do activities like standing atop an almirah, rubbing one's face against the wall, 'frog-jumps' and crawl under the cots," said the report, which was prepared after hundreds of students living in the hostels were interviewed.
The freshers, who are referred to as 'bachcha' (kid), were forced to wash their seniors' clothes, write assignments for them and run errands, including getting liquor, cigarettes and food from nearby markets at late hours, it claimed.
The freshers were also forced to hurl expletives at female residents of the adjacent police quarters, and the punishment for refusal would include physical spanking, it added.
The first-year student had died after falling from the balcony of the boys' hostel. His family alleged that he was a victim of ragging.
The report claimed that what happened on that evening was not merely an isolated incident of ragging, but rather a regular practice.
"The spot of the accident was washed by a group of boarders with water, following the instruction of one of the seniors after the victim was rushed to the hospital in a yellow taxi at around midnight of August 9," it said.
"Information regarding the subsequent movements, just prior to his fatal fall, is rather uncertain and vague, as none of the witnesses gave a clear-cut description of the incident, which could help in ascertaining the cause and sequence of the mishap," it added.
The committee alleged that the victim was singled out for severe pre-planned ragging, which included possible sexual abuse.
Thirteen people, all former or current students, were arrested in connection with the case.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
