JU anti-ragging squad proposes special committee to investigate new ragging allegation

Kolkata: The Anti-Ragging Squad (ARS) of Jadavpur University (JU) has decided to recommend the formation of a special enquiry committee with a legal expert, to probe recent allegations of ragging at the university’s Main Hostel.

This move follows a complaint by Arani Ghose, a second-year postgraduate student from the Film Studies department.

He alleged that a group of undergraduate students detained and harassed him for nearly four hours at the hostel’s A-1 block on March 18.

He claimed they verbally abused him and forced him, under duress, to post a public apology on social media.

At a meeting on Tuesday, the ARS called for an independent probe.

The prime accused, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, had previously been implicated in a 2023 ragging case that resulted in the death of a first-year student.

Following a probe, the university decided to suspend him for four semesters.

However, the suspension was stayed after he and other implicated students challenged the decision in the Calcutta High Court.

“As the previous case involving the prime accused is currently sub judice, the ARS believes that interrogating him without legal expertise would not be prudent. We will request the university authorities to form a special enquiry committee that includes a legal expert,” a JU official said.”