Kolkata Law Student Dies Under Mysterious Circumstances, Father Alleges Murder

The mysterious death of a student at a prestigious law college in Kolkata has turned controversial with his father alleging murder.

Vikas Chaudhury, a first-year student of the National University of Juridical Sciences or NUJS, was found lying on a ramp leading to his six-storey hostel around 1 pm on March 6, his body covered in Holi colours. He was rushed to hospital with serious injuries to his head and spine.

He died on Saturday evening at AMRI Hospital in the city's Salt Lake area.

Vikas belonged to New Delhi. His father Harinder Chaudhury, an official of the Border Security Force and posted in Guwahati, rushed to Kolkata on hearing about the incident. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed based on his complaint alleging murder, destruction of evidence and conspiracy. Mr Chaudhury has named Vice Chancellor P Ishwar Bhat, the hostel warden and "all others" at the institute in the FIR.

On Sunday, Mr Bhat issued a statement saying an internal enquiry had been initiated into what he said was an accident, adding there was no reason to suspect foul play at the moment.

Sources said police had not received any formal intimation of the student's death from NUJS till Saturday evening. Police are examining the student's phone records.

"We have no idea what position the student's body was found in as he had been taken to hospital," said Debashish Dhar, Additional Commissioner of Police of Salt Lake Commissionerate," adding, "The hospital informed us of the incident."

A police team has visited the NUJS campus several times since the incident took place.