Education dept asks univ questions on campus shooting, seeks report

NOIDA: The Shiv Nadar University has till Thursday to tell the education department if sociology student Sneha Chaurasia had made any harassment allegations in the past against Anuj Singh, her batchmate who shot her before killing himself in the campus last week.
The university has to respond to questions about any action taken by the women’s panel, and the measures taken to ensure that students don’t carry arms into the campus, according to a letter written by regional higher education officer Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta on May 22. It also has to submit a report on the campus shooting.
“Had the student (Sneha) informed the university administration about any kind of harassment by the student (Anuj) in the past? What action was taken by the women harassment committee constituted in the university? What has been done to prevent a student living in the university hostel from possessing arms? Has action been taken? What efforts have been made by the university, so that these incidents do not recur in the future,” the letter read.
A spokesperson for the university said on Tuesday they have received the questionnaire and “will answer it in due course”.
University officials had told TOI last week that Sneha had made 2-3 complaints against Anuj over “personal issues” and his behaviour five months ago. The two of them, who were a couple until Sneha broke ties with him late last year, were counseled by the university, they had said.
On May 18, a day after most of the university campus in Dadri emptied out as students left for summer vacation, Anuj shot Sneha — both 21 — three times near the dining hall. He then went up to the hostel, and shot himself in a room.
The regional higher education officer told TOI on Tuesday he has sought a detailed report from the university. “It has come to light that the girl had made some complaints. We want to know what the university did if the matter was reported by the student,” Gupta said.
He also questioned the security apparatus at the campus. “Wardens are there in hostels to keep a check on the students and take care of them. Why wasn't there any response if Anuj had mental issues? We also need to tighten security to ensure that such incidents don’t recur. The university has three days to submit the report,” the officer said.
Ten minutes before the shooting, Anuj had sent a video to a university group. In it, he spoke of his frayed relationship with Sneha, and claimed he had little time to live as he was diagnosed with advanced-stage brain cancer – a claim his family has denied.
Noida police have registered a case under Arms Act, and are probing where Anuj sourced the .32 bore gun. They suspect he managed to get the gun from a local supplier in Amroha, when he had visited his hometown late last month.