The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Saturday took suo motu cognizance of the death of a third-year English honours student of Jadavpur University and has sought a report from the university authorities and the Kolkata Police Commissioner within three days.

The student was found unconscious in a pond near the undergraduate arts building on Thursday night and was declared brought dead at the hospital.

NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the Commissioner, seeking a thorough investigation, forensic examination, and post-mortem report.

According to the NCW statement, “Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, has written to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, seeking a thorough and impartial investigation, forensic examination, and post-mortem report, along with an inquiry into the role of university authorities in ensuring campus safety. The Commission has also sought timely updates to the victim’s family and strict action if any foul play is found. A detailed Action Taken Report has been sought within 3 days.”

Archana Majumdar, one of the member’s of the NCW, while speaking to The Indian Express said, “Overall the Commission is anxious about what is happening in West Bengal starting from the RG Kar rape and murder to the rape in law college in the city and now JU.”

“No child is safe there. Parents send their children for studies, and they come back home dead. We will visit the university for inspection, we will also visit the deceased girl’s family and the JU authorities,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police, which is investigating the case, has seized the victim’s mobile phone and summoned four students from the University’s drama club for interrogation.

Deputy Commissioner of South Suburban Division Bidisha Kalita stated that the police are probing all angles and have obtained CCTV footage. “We are probing all angles. We are visiting the spot with the autopsy surgeon. We have got the CCTV footage.”

DC Kalita and the autopsy surgeon visited the incident site, where police measured the distance between the pond and the festival venue, as well as the pond’s depth.

The police are reviewing the university’s CCTV footage to track the student’s movements from her entry into the university and identify the people she was with that day.

Police sources have said that five persons have been questioned.

The father of the deceased student, Arnab Mondol, expressed concerns about the investigation, saying, “We demand a thorough probe. My daughter couldn’t swim, was scared of darkness, and it’s unlikely she’d go to that spot alone. Her bag was dry when handed over to us, which is suspicious. We believe her university friends should be thoroughly questioned.”

Overcome with emotion, he added, “My 22-year-old daughter was a bright student. I’m still in shock that I had to perform her last rites instead of her doing mine one day.”

The primary post-mortem report reveals that death occurred due to drowning, with no external or internal injuries found. Traces of alcohol were found in the student’s stomach, but the quantity will be determined through the viscera report. The university has tightened entry and security regulations across its premises following the incident.