Kolkata: At least six students were reportedly injured on Sunday following a confrontation at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, after students objected to an event being held on the institute’s campus.
According to accounts shared by students and reported by Maktoob, tensions developed around noon during a leadership programme organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, an organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Students alleged that permission for the programme had been obtained from the SRFTI Registrar to use the institute’s main theatre, but that the elected Student Union had not been informed about the event.
The situation subsequently escalated, with students alleging that several people were injured in what they described as a stabbing attack. Students inside the campus also claimed that a large group had gathered outside the institute, leaving around 150 students unable to leave the premises.
Police personnel reached the campus during the confrontation and detained a person whom students identified as the main accused. The individual was reportedly kept inside a police vehicle on the institute premises.
The situation nevertheless remained tense, as people gathered outside the campus allegedly demanded the person’s release.
Students inside the institute also raised concerns about the availability of immediate medical assistance and the security arrangements around the campus. They alleged that the deployment of security personnel was insufficient to disperse the gathering outside.
The institute’s administration also came under criticism from students. They accused the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of failing to respond quickly enough to the escalating situation and to ensure the safety of students on campus.
Several faculty members reportedly remained with the students inside the institute in solidarity.
The students have said they will not leave the campus until their demands are addressed. One of their principal demands is the immediate registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the person they have identified as the main accused.
As of the time of publication, there had been no public statement from the SRFTI Vice-Chancellor or Registrar regarding the incident.
According to The Hindu, present and former students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) staged a protest in front of the Kerala Theatre complex, the venue of the ongoing 18th International Film Festival of Kerala, on Sunday. The protest was held in response to an earlier incident at the SRFTI campus in Kolkata.
According to a statement issued by the SRFTI Students’ Union, the dispute began when students objected to the institute’s decision to allow an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) on campus without informing or consulting the student community.
The ABGP members reportedly entered the venue, confronted the students and attempted to remove them from the theatre. The Students’ Union intervened, after which the situation reportedly escalated into physical violence.
Source: Maktoob+The Hindu