INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KOLKATA: A former student of Jadavpur University (JU) was arrested and charged with murder on Friday in connection with the death of
first-year student Swapnodeep Kundu on Thursday.Sourabh Chowdhury, being treated as the prime suspect in Swapnodeep's death, had completed
his postgraduation in maths from the university in 2022, but used to still call the shots at the boys' main hostel, continuing to stay there
and unofficially functioning as the person in charge of the hostel mess committee.TimesViewThe probes must be unbiased and speedy and
unravel what really led to the death of a first-year student who came here with dreams in his eyes
All stakeholders must cooperate with both cops and the university appointed panel
It is in everyone's interest that campuses are rid of a culture of fear and toxicity.The arrest came hours after the Jadavpur cops lodged an
FIR under sections related to murder against unknown persons
Sources said Sourabh was named in the FIR."Swapnodeep's father, Ramprasad Kundu, had submitted a complaint in which he said he believed that
some boarders of the main hostel were responsible for his son's death," said joint CP (crime) Sankha Shubra Chakrabarty, adding, "The FIR
was based on this complaint."During interrogation, Sourabh denied any wrongdoing but did say that he was the one who ensured Swapnodeep a
place in the hostel, said a police source
Sourabh had met the boy and his father on August 3 at a tea shop in Jadavpur, where he was told that Swapnodeep's name had not figured in
"Sourabh promised to help Swapnodeep's father
He had said that he could stay as a 'guest' of a boarder, for which he took Rs 1,000
He said that as mess committee head, he could ensure a bed, although the university has no 'guest' policy," the source added.On Sunday,
Sourabh led Swapnodeep to room 108, where a second-year student of sociology stayed
There were two others there: a second-year economics student and a third-year mechanical engineering student.JU has washed its hands of
Dean of students Rajat Ray said there was no official mess committee head
statementsPolice said they have questioned around 20 boarders
He told me someone had told one student that he would have to jump off the balcony
I immediately called up the hostel super and told him to identify the caller and look into the matter
The super called me around 11.30pm and said someone had fallen down
I asked him to shift him to hospital immediately
I too rushed to the hospital
He had said he could not share everything on the phone
