Jadavpur University’s Dean of Science, Subinoy Chakraborty, who headed the internal investigation committee set up to look into the controversial death earlier this month of a student of the university, resigned from his position today. According to sources, on Sunday at 12.18 p.m, in an email to Pro VC Amitava Datta, he cited personal reasons for stepping down from his position. The decision comes a day after Buddhadeb Sau, a faculty member of Jadavpur University’s department of mathematics, was app ointed the interim Vice-Chancellor of the university on the directives of the West Bengal Governor and the university’s Chancellor, C V Anand Bose.
The sudden resignation and its timing has raised questions and concerns about the ongoing investigation into the fresher student’s death. The eight-member committee headed by Prof Chakaborty which was probing the student’s death had already admitted that the death was a fallout of the ragging and harassment by a section of the senior students before his death. The incident led to the formation of a committee, comprising eight members, to probe the matter. Prof. Subinoy was at the helm of this committee, which included other faculty members as well.
The committee was tasked with meticulously examining the incident. In the aftermath of the incident, Prof. Subinoy visited the university’s hostel premises multiple times. He convened meetings and discussions with other members of the committee to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.