Friends forced my daughter to drink, pushed her into water: Dad
Times of India | 14 September 2025
Kolkata: The father of the Jadavpur University third-year English honours student, Anamika Mondal (22), who was found dead in a campus pond on Thursday night, alleged that her friends forced her to drink alcohol before pushing her into the water, knowing well she didn't know how to swim.
Arnab Mondal made the allegations before reporters on Sunday while performing his daughter's shraddh ceremony at their Nimta home, even as they are yet to lodge a formal complaint against anyone.
Following the allegation, cops summoned four friends of Anamika who were the first to locate her body, pull her out, call the police and also inform the girl's family.
"My daughter never touched liquor. If probe proves she was drunk, her friends must have forced her to do that and then pushed her into the pond.
Police should question everyone. Once they are grilled, the truth will come out," Mondal said.
Four of her friends have been summoned to Jadavpur PS for questioning and recording of statements.
"We haven't received any complaint yet. But the probe is proceeding as per the unnatural death case initiated by us," said DC SSD Bidisha Kalita.
On Sunday, she visited the pond along with Jadavpur PS officers and the autopsy surgeon.
Officers measured the depth of the water body near gate 4, next to the union room, and also checked its distance from the venue of the musical event organised by the JU drama club.
Kalita added they have also obtained substantial CCTV footage of the incident that will help them in their efforts to determine the exact time of death, manner of death, and cause of death. Cops have also seized the mobile of Mondal, which was handed over to the girl's family by a professor after her death.
A preliminary autopsy report confirmed drowning as the cause of death. There were no external or internal injuries except minor scratch marks on her elbows, which police said may have occurred during the fall. A viscera test is being conducted to determine whether she consumed alcohol or any other intoxicating substance. A senior officer noted that witnesses indicated she might have been intoxicated, which will be confirmed after the test results.
Students present at the scene told reporters they were alerted by the shrieks of another girl who spotted two hands protruding from the water. Security personnel and students pulled Anamika out of the pond, but she was unresponsive. She was rushed to KPC Hospital, where she was declared dead at 10.26 pm on Thursday.
Cops said she last spoke to her mother at 9.08 pm when she assured her she would leave by 9.30 pm.