WB: SFI Organises Anti-Ragging Rally Against the Alleged Murder of a First-year Jadavpur Student

Kolkata: Hundreds of students today joined in a mega anti-ragging rally convened by the SFI (Student Federation of India) West Bengal state committee over the death of first-year student Swapnodeep Kundu, who was found dead in a naked condition at Jadavpur University (JU) men's hostel recently.  

The protesters walked about 2 kilometres from Dhakuria to Jadavpur University, raising slogans against ragging in academic institutions. 

Kundu's death has been linked to the possibility of ragging. He was found dead on Wednesday after reportedly falling from the terrace of the JU hostel. 

A resident of Nadia district, Kunda had joined the university two days earlier. 

SFI has demanded a thorough probe into the incident and has sought strict punishment for anyone involved in the "ragging" of the student in the Bengali honours department.

"Every year, hundreds of students from the state districts come to Kolkata and join Jadavpur University – a centre of excellence in academics – to make it big. The death of Kundu is the death of a dream," said Srijan Bhattacharya, SFI state secretary.

Bhattacharya also demanded that JU file a suo motu complaint about the "unnatural death" with the city police. He added that the SFI-led Arts Faculty Students' Union has already convened a general body meeting regarding the matter.

Kundu reportedly admitted to a "fear of the unknown" during his last call to his family. He had been behaving unnaturally, "urinating in the veranda" at night when three seniors reportedly accosted him. Some of Kundu's JU batchmates allegedly questioned his gender orientation. A batchmate of Kundu, Arpan Majhi, has alleged in a Facebook post that regular ragging was taking place at the University hostel.

Later investigation has pointed towards a student body of the Jadavpur University called Collective. It is alleged to be behind the culture of ragging in the University.

Collective is the main brain behind the FAS (Forum for Art Students). 

According to reports, four students of JU are being interrogated by the police over Kundu's death.  

Later, all of them were arrested, though another Collective leader was absconding. 

Those arrested, including Collective leader Sourav Choudhury, an MSc graduate, were found illegally staying at the university premises after graduating. It has been alleged that they were illegally staying with tacit support from the JU administration. 

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the Arts' Students' Union, administered by SFI. However, SFI has a weak presence in the hostel where the incident occurred.