“It’s like the pain has been refreshed,” said the mother of the 17-year-old boy, who allegedly died by suicide on August 9, 2023, at a Jadavpur University hostel after being allegedly ragged by seniors.
“Can anyone understand another’s pain more than me? I lost my son 12 months ago,” she said on Sunday.
The couple, still grappling with the loss of their son, have been embroiled in a legal battle since the death. Despite the initial media frenzy, they now find themselves fighting a solitary fight in the courts.
“I tried to reach out to the R G Kar victim’s family but couldn’t connect,” said the father of the Jadavpur University ragging victim.
“I wanted to share our ordeal. Who else would understand this struggle? The real fight begins when the spotlight fades,” he told The Indian Express.
The ragging victim’s mother has been deeply affected by the R G Kar case, the family said. “Every time someone mentions the incident, she breaks down, reliving our pain,” the father said.
At R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, a 31-year-old woman doctor was found dead in the seminar hall on August 9. The police later arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the crime and the Calcutta High Court transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Recalling the night of the tragedy last year, the father of the ragging victim said, “My wife had spoken to our son, and he was fine. To find out he was no more later was unimaginable. Had the culprits in the Jadavpur case been punished, perhaps the R G Kar incident could have been prevented.
In the ragging case, the Kolkata police arrested 12 people, including six university students and six former students residing in the hostels. The police filed a case against the 12 accused, charging them under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and Section 305 of the IPC related to abetment to suicide of a minor, among other charges.
In May this year, the executive council of Jadavpur University accepted the recommendations of the anti-ragging committee, which had asked for the expulsion of four senior students allegedly involved in the ragging.
The couple urged the victim doctor’s family to stay strong. “You will go through this pain every day. Tears will flow endlessly. Life will never be the same. But keep fighting,” the father said, quoting a line from Rabindranath Tagore’s poem ‘Ekla cholo re‘.
The parents also expressed concern about educational institutions’ lack of strict administrative measures. “Both cases are different, but stronger administration could prevent such crimes,” the father said.
“The media attention has dwindled, and people have moved on. Only a handful of them keep in touch. I wish the R G Kar victim’s family has the strength to endure this battle,” the father said.
“I am still waiting for justice for my son. I know first-hand the arduous journey that lies ahead for the parents of the R G Kar victim. It won’t be easy,” he added.
Drawing attention to the coincidence of both deaths on August 9, one year apart, he said, “Imagine, on August 9, 2023, a set of parents lost their son, and on August 9, 2024, another lost their daughter. We are talking about the safety of women. I want to say no one is safe until proper measures are taken to ensure safety at the hostel or workplace. Strict punishment will send a message, and the administrative heads will also take responsibility, thinking they will be accountable if anything goes wrong.”
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