Jadavpur University gets officiating Vice-Chancellor amid row over student's death

Kolkata, August 20

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has appointed Buddhadeb Sau as the officiating vice-chancellor of Jadavpur University, officials said.

The appointment comes at a time when the state-run varsity is facing criticism over the death of a first-year undergraduate student after being allegedly ragged and sexually harassed recently.

Sau is a professor of the varsity’s Department of Mathematics, the officials said.

Bose, also the chancellor of the varsity, issued orders on Saturday night, authorising Sau to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the vice-chancellor with immediate effect, they said.

The tenure of the varsity’s last full-time vice-chancellor Suranjan Das, who served for nine years, ended on May 31.

Following that, Bose appointed Amitabha Datta, the pro-VC of the varsity, as the officiating vice-chancellor but he resigned on August 4.

Datta had resigned after being asked by the governor.

The first-year undergraduate student died after falling from the second-floor balcony of the varsity’s main hostel on August 9.

His family alleged that he was a victim of ragging.