JU ragging death: Cellphones of three accused sent for forensic test

Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS) The police investigating the mysterious death of a first year student on the campus of Jadavpur University on August 10 have sent the cellphones of the three accused arrested in this connection to the forensic laboratory for deciphering the detailed data stored in them.

Swapnadip Kundu, a first year student of Bengali honours, died under mysterious circumstances after falling from the balcony of a students’ hostel on the JU campus on August 10. It is suspected that Swapnadip became a victim of ragging.

The investigating officers believe that the data stored in the cellphones of the three accused might lead to some important clues relating to the death of the fresher.

Of the three arrested in this case, one is a former M.Sc student of JU, while the other two are second year students of the same university.

All three of them have been remanded to police custody till August 22.

Sources said the accused are being interrogated in phases and their statements are being corroborated with the statements given by different witnesses questioned by the police.

The cook of the students’ hostel where the mishap took place has told the police that the freshers were unwilling to go through the psychologically humiliating exercises as ordered by the seniors. They were often forced to walk on the cornice of the hostel building as punishment.

The accused former student, identified as Sourav Chowdhury, was reportedly the mastermind behind running the ragging racket. He was also the final word in accommodation-related administrative affairs at the students' hostel.