A five-member team of Gazole Police Station, Malda arrived at the University of North Bengal (NBU) to investigate the suicide of a first-year post-graduate student of History due to alleged ragging.
On Wednesday afternoon, the team reached Siliguri and first went to Matigara Police Station and then to the university.
Incidentally, on Monday morning, the body of Uttam Mardi (22 year), a first-year PG student of History department of North Bengal University, was recovered from the washroom of his house in Gazole in Malda.
The police team from Gazole consisted of Sub-Inspectors of Police (SI) and Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI). As the University was closed on Wednesday due to Durga Puja holidays, the police team failed to meet the students or University authorities.
They however spoke to Barun Roy, security-in-charge of NBU following which they left the university. Neither the police nor the security-in-charge commented on the matter.
On Tuesday, the family of the deceased lodged a complaint at the Gazole Police Station and sent an e-mail to the vice- chancellor of NBU, alleging that Uttam was a victim of ragging and was depressed due to which he committed suicide.
Uttam had joined the History department and reached NBU on October 3 and left the hostel on October 6. The 22-year-old Uttam Murdy was a resident of Sheeshdanga village.
The family members also alleged that the deceased was suffering from acute depression and trauma owing to ragging since his return from the hostel on October 6. Further, the family also sent a complaint to the university authorities through email.
The student had scored 83 per cent marks in History and got chances to be admitted to various institutions for post graduation but he had chosen NBU.
Panchali Murdy, cousin of the deceased, said: “Uttam joined the NBU on October 3 and he alleged that he faced intense ragging by seniors of various departments on October 5.
I advised him to come back home without informing any seniors the next day, and he did so. He was depressed and was in trauma.”
“On asking repeatedly, he confided of an improper touch and abusive indications about his physical structure by a senior student in the hostel. He refused to go back and we decided that he would be joining the University of Gour Banga on October 16 instead. However, that morning he committed suicide by hanging himself in the washroom,” added Panchali.
According to police, anything conclusive could only be said after a detailed investigation and receipt of a post-mortem report.
Meanwhile, Abdur Rahim Boxi, district president of TMC, Malda, along with other leaders of the party visited the bereaved family on Tuesday and assured to send a delegation to the NBU if necessary.”