KOLKATA: At least two departments at Jadavpur University reported major thefts, believed to have taken place in the past 16 months when the campus had been shut to check the spread of the novel coronavirus. While the theft at the soil lab at the civil engineering department was discovered out on Wednesday, that at the Bengali department was reportedly detected some time earlier.
Cops at the Jadavpur police stations said investigations had started. DC (SSD) Rashid Munir Khan said, “Two computers have gone missing from the civil engineering lab.” An investigating officer said, “We will talk to the administration. Among the items missing from the two departments are computers, electric cables, taps and a host of similar items.” The anti-theft wing of the detective department, which is is assisting in the probe, visited the campus on Thursday.
JU registrar Snehamanju Basu said the theft at the civil soil lab was major. “On Wednesday, the main lock was found broken. Inside the lab, all the equipment was smashed and thrown around. Several brass parts of the equipment are missing. I asked the head of the department to lodge a complaint. After alerting VC Suranjan Das, I got an FIR registered. Police visited and collected evidence. Lalbazar cops also visited the civil engineering department,” said Basu.
Police suspect the two thefts did not take place the same day. “From what we found at a north Kolkata college and a teachers’ training institute in the south, the thefts took place over time. The thieves took advantage of the campus shutdown,” said an officer. Drug addicts could be behind the thefts. “Drug addicts usually steal expensive metallic objects to sell them for a quick buck. The role of an insider is possible but there is no evidence,” said an officer.
