Tuesday saw the introduction of an anti-ragging helpline for students at all state-funded educational institutions by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the midst of the controversy surrounding a student's suicide at Jadavpur University, which was purportedly caused by ragging, a new helpline was unveiled.
The helpline number 18003455678 can be used by students to contact police officers, according to the chief minister.
The helpline is supervised by the Kolkata Police and is open 24/7.
After a 17-year-old first-year student committed suicide on August 9 by falling from the second floor of the hostel building, protests broke out at Kolkata's Jadavpur University. According to a police complaint made by Kundu's family, senior students were ragging at the time of the suicide.
The results of the investigation showed that the student had experienced ragging. According to the police, four seniors took him to a humiliating "intro session" where he was asked to furnish physical characteristics and forced him to cut his hair in a particular way.
The ragging was also acknowledged by the Jadavpur University anti-ragging committee. The committee sent the early results of its investigation into the student's death to the University Grants Commission (UGC).
13 people in total have been detained in relation to the ragging so far. Some of those detained are former students, while others are actively enrolled.
In the meantime, officials will concentrate on the state of students' mental health, according to the recently appointed officiating Vice-Chancellor, Buddhadeb Sau.
Â
