Amit Malviya questions Bengal administration's silence over mysterious death of JU student

Kolkata, Sep 12 (IANS) BJP Information Technology Cell chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, on Friday, questioned the cryptic silence of the state administration over the mysterious death of a female student of Kolkata's iconic Jadavpur University (JU) within the varsity campus.

On Friday morning, Malviya issued a statement raising three questions relating to the mysterious death, one of which relates to the silence of the state administration so far over the incident.

"Was she drugged and assaulted before being killed? Why are the authorities and police silent? Why is it being casually brushed aside as an 'accident'? - the three questions that Malviya raised in his social media statement on Friday morning.

The incident occurred over a year after the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor in the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, within the institute's premises.

"Why is it that only women students are unsafe on Bengal campuses?" Malviya questioned.

According to him, while the student bodies and rights groups must demand a proper investigation into the matter, the CCTV footage should be examined. "No cover-up by the Mamata Banerjee administration can be allowed," Malviya added.

"We will not disclose the victim's name or image until the facts are established. We also expect the administration to preserve her dignity in death - unlike in the RG Kar case, where even the Commissioner of Police violated basic decency by revealing the victim's identity. Bengal's campuses must be safe spaces for students - not crime scenes," he added.

The body has been taken for post-mortem examination, following which the real reason for her death could be ascertained.

Now questions are being raised on what prompted the deceased student to reach the deserted place beside the water body within the campus during those late hours, and that too when a cultural programme was taking place within the campus.

The police have started an investigation into whether she went near the water body after being called by someone or went voluntarily to meet someone.

"Since microphones were used during the cultural event and the students and alumni present were dancing and singing, even if the student had shouted, it could not have been audible to others," said an insider at JU.

--IANS

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