Kolkata, 01 September (H.S.):The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has initiated action over the alleged harassment of Jadavpur University research scholar Nikhil Das. The Commission has sought reports on the action taken in the matter from Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya and the Kolkata Police Commissioner.

Both officials have been directed to submit their reports within seven days. The Commission has warned that failure to submit the reports within the stipulated period could lead to summons being issued.

Nikhil Das is pursuing a PhD in Water Resources Management at Jadavpur University and is also the president of the university unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Das, a resident of Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas, has alleged that he was targeted with casteist remarks on the university campus on August 19. He has also alleged that he was subjected to physical and mental abuse and threatened with death.

Das subsequently lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Acting on his complaint, the Commission sent letters to the university Vice-Chancellor and the Kolkata Police Commissioner seeking details of the action taken so far.

The dispute reportedly arose during an altercation and clash on the Jadavpur University campus in the third week of August, during which Das's name came up. The research scholar has alleged that some members associated with Left-wing student organisations subjected him to caste-based discrimination. Meanwhile, ABVP and Left-wing student organisations have traded allegations against each other over the incident.

Amid the controversy, a nearly decade-old case involving Das has also resurfaced. At the time, Das was a Civil Engineering student at Jadavpur University and was arrested by police following allegations of sexual harassment of a female student from the Faculty of Arts during a university cultural programme. He was reportedly kept in custody for several days.

The matter subsequently died down. The university administration had then prioritised restoring peace on the campus, and no major further action was taken over the allegations against the students. With the complainant student and other university-linked individuals not pursuing the matter further, the police investigation also failed to make significant progress.

Das, however, has claimed that he was given a clean chit in the old case.

The matter has now returned to the spotlight after the National Commission for Scheduled Castes sought reports from the university and Kolkata Police regarding his complaint of alleged caste-based harassment.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh