JU expels 5 students for 'mugging'

The authority of Jahangirnagar University on Monday expelled three of its students for life and other two for two years over their involvement in a mugging at the campus botanical garden.

The students are activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of JU unit.

JU acting registrar Rahima Kaniz confirmed this and said the university authorities have declared the expelled students unwanted on the campus area. They will be allowed neither to take part in academic activities nor to reside in dormitories.

“If they stay on the campus, university authorities will take action against them by law enforcers,” the acting registrar added.

The decision was taken following the recommendations by a disciplinary board through an emergency syndicate meeting headed by JU VC Prof Farzana Islam at Monday night, she added.

The lifetime expelled students are -- Sohel Rana, Md Mostafizur Rahman and Yea Rafiu Shikdar of public administration department while Md Sajib Kazi and Asif Ahmed of Bangla department, they all are the first year students and the residents of Shahid Raffiq Jabbar hall.

Among them the authority expelled Sohel Rana, Md Mostafizur Rahman and Yea Rafiu Shikdar for life.

On Sunday, Md Zahidur Rahman Arnab, a student of the evening programme under Institute of Business Administration submitted an allegation of mugging to JU proctor associate professor Shikdar Md Zulkarnine, mentioning the names of five demanding justice.

In the complaint letter, the victim said that the accused students physically and mentally tortured him and demanded Tk 25000 and snatched the pendant of his girlfriend.

Eyewitnesses said victim Arnab called his friend Akik Hossain Seam who is deputy science affairs secretary of JU BCL unit when the five attacked them and tried to snatch the valuables.

Later, Seam with another 4-5 activists rushed to the spot and detained their fellow activists and handed over to Proctorial body.

When contacted JU BCL president Jewel Rana said, “I have informed that all were involved in mugging. None of them are activists of JU BCL unit. We will suspend them if we found any evidence of involvement with the politics of our organization”.