Anti-ragging kit developed by Bengali researchers to hit markets - GetBengal story

Anti-ragging kit

The horrifying incident recently at one of the premier institutions of India and Kolkata yet again opened our eyes to the social disease called ragging. Swapnadeep Kundu, a 17-year-old boy, who became a victim of ragging and lost his life after just 3 days of joining the prestigious Jadavpur University, has unmasked the reality of the scenario. The innocent student had to endure violence, bullying and teasing for two hours straight right before he chose death. His body was found unclothed lying in a pool of blood proving the nature of torture he had to go through. The level of inhumanity shown by students, the future of the country, has baffled everyone. And this is not the first case of death due to intense ragging, many top-grade educational institutions have a dark history of violence and impunity. In 2016, a similar case took place where another student’s body was found hanging in the JU hostel. This has triggered many debates, but in the end the question remains - how to stop ragging? How to ensure the safety of an individual?

Since then, many institutions have tightened their anti-ragging protocols by installing CCTVs, posting more security guards, providing a helpline number and so on. The authorities of every institution have become extra cautious about hostel behaviour and keep a close watch on every hostel dweller. But is that enough? How long does it take to put a person’s back to the wall with no other escape but death? In Swapnadeep’s case it was 3 days with 2 hours of intense ragging. Currently, the scar is fresh. There is a possibility that things go back to square one after a few months. How many security measures are enough?

Ayan Bagh, Indranil Das, and Shankhadeep Ghosh developed an Anti-ragging Kit

After the appalling incident, many individuals have come forward to find ways to ensure the safety of hostel dwellers and students, with a view of making all the campuses ragging-free. But it seems the solution is very close and homegrown. Three youths of Bengal have invented anti-ragging kits to fight ragging. Ayan Bagh of Chandannagar, Indranil Das of New Alipore and Shankhadeep Ghosh of Jadavpur, have created security kits in the form of Smart Shirts, Smart Keyrings and Smart mobile covers. The mobile cover is chargeable and it will be connected via Bluetooth. These devices can efficiently inform the preferred contacts when a person is in danger or becomes a victim to ragging without alerting the wrongdoer. When the smart mobile cover is made to touch the device installed in the smart shirt, a message will be sent to the student’s relative’s mobile. The house’s bulb will start glowing and a buzzer will go off. The family will get to know that their daughter or son is in danger. The location where the ragging is taking place will be pinpointed on the mobile itself. The parents can take necessary measures after that. Multiple phone numbers can be linked through this technology to a particular phone.

Ayan and Shankhadeep have informed that this security anti-ragging kit can help in preventing ragging by informing the parents about it. This work was going on for a year. “The parents remain worried when their children go to study or work outside and the tension increases in case of women, this device can help relieve the stress,” they told the media. Embedded system robotics in the internet of things (IoT) will provide security. According to the researchers, this device will be available before Puja. The price will be ranging from Rs 3,000- 5,000. They are thinking of marketing the kit in many parts of Bengal in the coming days and also will approach various institutions and government organisations to spread the news about such a kit that is need of the hour.   

Technology has become one of the principal ways through which such unruly behaviour can be monitored and prevented. The incident which put humanity to shame is also the driving force behind such innovative ways to preventive measures. Kudos to the three researchers, who poured their intellectual capabilities to ensure the security of individuals through this path-breaking anti-ragging kit.