In the midst of a controversy surrounding the tragic death of a student due to ragging within a Jadavpur University hostel, Registrar Snehamanju Basu found herself at the center of an unsettling situation. An anonymous letter, filled with ominous threats, arrived at her doorstep, raising concerns for her safety and that of Joint Registrar Sanjay Gopal Sarkar. The letter explicitly warned of dire consequences should any harm befall one of the former students who had been arrested in connection with the case.
In response to this menacing correspondence, Basu initially tendered her resignation, undoubtedly shaken by the grave threat it posed. However, the situation took a different turn with the timely intervention of officiating Vice-Chancellor Buddhadeb Sau. He reached out to the registrar after reviewing her resignation email and offered reassurance in the form of enhanced security measures provided by the university administration, PTI reported.
Sau affirmed, "After going through her mail, I called her up and assured her of adequate security on the part of the university administration. I am certain she will be discharging her responsibility in the present capacity." Basu promptly lodged a formal FIR regarding the anonymous threat letter, initiating the process of addressing this disturbing development.
Later, speaking to reporters, Basu conveyed her determination to uphold her responsibilities, even in the face of adversity during these trying times for the university. She emphasized her commitment to addressing the state government's inquiries about anti-ragging measures and responding to the queries posed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the same subject.
The anonymous letter's contents further revealed that Basu and the joint registrar's lives would be endangered if any harm befell Sourav Choudhury, described as a "bright former student" who had been arrested in connection with the case. The letter contended that Choudhury had been falsely implicated in the matter.
This unfortunate incident has brought heightened scrutiny to the ongoing investigation surrounding the death of a first-year student of Bengali honours who tragically lost his life after falling from a second-floor balcony within an illegally occupied hostel, resulting in the arrest of Choudhury and 12 others, all either current or former students of Jadavpur University.
