Kolkata: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the recent death of a female student at Jadavpur University and written to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma, requesting an action-taken report within three days.
The NCW said, “The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing media report titled “Woman Student Found Dead Inside Jadavpur University” wherein a 21-year-old third-year student of the English department was found dead in a lake inside the campus” in their social media post late Saturday night.
The Commission has also called for a thorough and unbiased investigation into the incident, while urging an inquiry into the role of university authorities in maintaining campus safety.
“Hon’ble Chairperson, Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar, has written to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, seeking a thorough and impartial investigation, forensic examination, and post-mortem report, along with an inquiry into the role of university authorities in ensuring campus safety. The Commission has also sought timely updates to the victim’s family and strict action if any foul play is found. A detailed Action Taken Report has been sought within 3 days,” said the National Commission for Women.
The body of a third-year English Literature student was found from a water body on the Jadavpur University campus late on September 11. At the time, a cultural programme organized by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), was ongoing.
The cultural programme was halted immediately after the student’s body was discovered. She was rushed to the nearby K.P.C. Medical College and Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.
After the tragic death of a third-year female student on the campus, Jadavpur University authorities have tightened security and imposed several restrictions for students and outsiders.
University released the official notice late Friday night, they prohibited trespassing, morning and evening walks, use of narcotics and alcohol on campus, and mandated entry only with valid identity cards.
The initial post-mortem report said that the student died by drowning. However, it remains unclear whether alcohol was a factor as the autopsy did not confirm this.
The police said that they are awaiting the viscera report, which will take some time to determine whether drugs or other toxic substances were present in the student’s system at the time of drowning. The initial autopsy, however, found no signs of injury on her body.
(From IANS Inputs)