Jadavpur probe details horrific sexual humiliation of freshman

The first-year student of Jadavpur University, allegedly ragged and sexually abused before he jumped to his death in the hostel on August 9, ran frantically from one room to another in a completely naked state trying to hide from his tormentors, the internal probe carried out by the university has found

- Joydeep Thakur

In its report, the seven-member committee has also said that firstyear students were often forced to shout sexist remarks and make lewd gestures towards the women that lived in the police quarters that are adjacent to the hostel, and after one such episode, the 17-yearold victim had broken down.

The report, a copy of which HT has seen, was submitted to JU's interim vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau last week. The 46-page report, compiled after questioning 85 people, including hostel inmates, university officials, hostel superintendents and security guards, throws light on rampant ragging and abuse in the hostel. So far, 12 former and current students have been arrested in the case, and their accounts are not part of the report since they are in custody.

The report says that one of the boarders heard a loud cry at around 11.30pm on August 9 and rushed to the second floor corridor, and saw the victim completely naked, desperately trying to enter a toilet, and then rushing into room no. 65. "Even as the victim tried to close the door of the room, Md Arif and other seniors pushed open the door, and pulled him out.