KOLKATA: A former student of Jadavpur University (JU) was arrested and charged with murder on Friday in connection with the death of first-year student Swapnodeep Kundu on Thursday.Sourabh Chowdhury, being treated as the prime suspect in Swapnodeep's death, had completed his postgraduation in maths from the university in 2022, but used to still call the shots at the boys' main hostel, continuing to stay there and unofficially functioning as the person in charge of the hostel mess committee.TimesViewThe probes must be unbiased and speedy and unravel what really led to the death of a first-year student who came here with dreams in his eyes.

All stakeholders must cooperate with both cops and the university appointed panel.

It is in everyone's interest that campuses are rid of a culture of fear and toxicity.The arrest came hours after the Jadavpur cops lodged an FIR under sections related to murder against unknown persons.

Sources said Sourabh was named in the FIR."Swapnodeep's father, Ramprasad Kundu, had submitted a complaint in which he said he believed that some boarders of the main hostel were responsible for his son's death," said joint CP (crime) Sankha Shubra Chakrabarty, adding, "The FIR was based on this complaint."During interrogation, Sourabh denied any wrongdoing but did say that he was the one who ensured Swapnodeep a place in the hostel, said a police source.

Sourabh had met the boy and his father on August 3 at a tea shop in Jadavpur, where he was told that Swapnodeep's name had not figured in the hostel list.

"Sourabh promised to help Swapnodeep's father.

He had said that he could stay as a 'guest' of a boarder, for which he took Rs 1,000.

He said that as mess committee head, he could ensure a bed, although the university has no 'guest' policy," the source added.On Sunday, Sourabh led Swapnodeep to room 108, where a second-year student of sociology stayed.

There were two others there: a second-year economics student and a third-year mechanical engineering student.JU has washed its hands of Sourabh.

Dean of students Rajat Ray said there was no official mess committee head.

"If he had taken money to accommodate Swapnodeep, it was illegal," Ray said.Police question 20 boarders, record JU officials’ statementsPolice said they have questioned around 20 boarders.

They have also recorded statements of JU officials, including dean Rajay Ray’s, hostel superintendent Tapan Kumar Jana’s and Bengali department head Jaideep Ghosh’s.Ray claimed he had received a call from a boarder at 10.05pm on Wednesday.

“It’s incorrect to say I didn’t take the call,” he said.

“I got a call from a boarder saying one student has been ‘politicised’.

He told me someone had told one student that he would have to jump off the balcony.

I immediately called up the hostel super and told him to identify the caller and look into the matter.

The super called me around 11.30pm and said someone had fallen down.

I asked him to shift him to hospital immediately.

I too rushed to the hospital.

Two three calls came while I was driving, so I couldn’t take those calls.”Ramprasad Kundu, the victim’s father, said his son’s murderers needed to be “eliminated”.

He has told the cops that he firmly believes Swapnodeep was tortured under Sourabh’s leadership.

“We had decided to bring Swapnodeep back on Friday.

He had said he could not share everything on the phone.

That night, I called him again and again but the phone was being disconnected,” Ramprasad said.