Tragedy Returns to Jadavpur University — Third-Year Student Found Dead
Kolkata : A sense of shock gripped Jadavpur University on Thursday night after the body of a third-year English student, Anamika Mondal, was found near Gate No. 4.
Police later confirmed a case of unnatural death and sealed the area for investigation. Anamika, who lived in North 24-Parganas, was discovered by students and security lying unconscious on the edge of a pond close to the Arts Faculty Students’ Union room sometime between 10 and 10:30 pm. They tried CPR, rushed her to KPC Medical College & Hospital , but doctors declared her dead on arrival.
That evening, a cultural programme by the Drama Club was running on campus. Friends said she was last seen there. Some think the music and crowd might have drowned out any cries for help. Police haven’t confirmed yet whether she drowned or died on the way to the hospital. A post-mortem has been ordered, and CCTV footage from three cameras near the gate is under review.
Campus & political reactions
The news spread quickly. Student groups demanded answers, while leaders of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) called for tighter security. TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharya wrote online , “I am shocked by the death of a student inside Jadavpur University. These are not natural deaths. Those who opposed CCTV installation and police deployment on campus cannot evade responsibility.”
TMCP’s Sudeep Raha also pointed to the “urgent need” for more surveillance. BJP leaders echoed the demand for a full probe.
Memories of 2023 return
For many, the tragedy felt painfully familiar. On August 2023, 18-year-old Swapnodeep Kundu who was also from the English department , died under suspicious circumstances after falling from the boys’ hostel balcony. His family alleged ragging and foul play, which had triggered huge protests and forced the university to bring in CCTV and stricter checks.
But some students now argue those promises were never fully enforced. They point out how I-card checks at gates are often ignored. And now, with Anamika’s death, the question has come back: how safe is the JU campus really ?
