Police maintained a presence outside the main gate of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata on Monday, a day after a clash between a section of students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) left several people injured.

The situation remained calm on Monday as students returned to their classes and no gathering of outsiders was seen outside the institute. A senior police officer was present near the main gate as authorities continued to look into the violence reported on Sunday. An SRFTI official said, “Today the situation is normal. Outsiders have dispersed, while students have resumed classes.”

Cases Filed Over SRFTI Campus Clash

A senior police officer said cases had been registered by both sides, along with a suo motu case, at the nearby Panchasayar police station in connection with Sunday’s incident. The clash involved students and members of ABGP, with both sides accusing each other of assault.

A clash broke out between members of the SFI and the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat during an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat at the SRFTI auditorium, in Kolkata on Sunday.
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A clash broke out between members of the SFI and the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat during an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat at the SRFTI auditorium, in Kolkata on Sunday. Credit: X/ANI

The dispute began during an ABGP programme that was being held at the institute’s auditorium. According to ABGP state leaders, the organisation had obtained permission from the authorities and paid to use the venue for the event. The programme started at around 10 am on Sunday.

Students Object To Outside Programme

According to the accounts provided by the students, the trouble began after some students noticed people from outside the institute attending the programme.

A section of students questioned the authorities about allowing a private organisation with right-wing links to hold an event on the SRFTI campus. The students then put up posters near the auditorium to register their protest.

The situation reportedly escalated when students and members of the organising group entered into a heated exchange.

The students’ association later alleged that speakers at the event delivered “highly provocative speeches”. It further claimed that members of the organisation used terms such as “anti-national”, “urban Naxals” and “terrorists” while referring to students.

The students’ body also alleged that female students were manhandled during the confrontation.

Students Allege Assault With Knives

The confrontation later turned violent, according to the students’ account. The students’ association alleged that some ABGP members assaulted students with knives.

The students claimed four students suffered serious injuries, while several others were also hurt.

A student, speaking to a news channel on Sunday, described how the confrontation unfolded.

“We were having our practical classes in the auditorium. When we saw people from outside holding a programme there, some of us protested and put up posters on the wall. The members of the organisation then came towards us and started beating us up. We somehow managed to escape towards the hostel,” the student said. An institute teacher also alleged that he and some of his colleagues were assaulted after they intervened in the confrontation.

Following the clash, protests took place inside the campus. Students subsequently locked the main gate and staged a sit-in, demanding action against those they alleged had attacked them.

The students’ body claimed that around 150 students remained inside the campus and alleged that they had been “surrounded by goons”.

It also claimed that six policemen had detained the main accused inside a police vehicle, while a crowd outside the campus was demanding their release.

ABGP Rejects Allegations

ABGP rejected the students’ allegations and presented a different account of the incident.

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The organisation claimed that its programme had been disrupted after students objected to the event and tore posters and banners, including images of Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda.

An ABGP member told reporters, “We had paid ₹15,000 to hire the auditorium and had obtained permission from the authorities. Our organisation works mainly for consumer protection and awareness. But an attempt was made to disrupt our programme, and posters were torn.”

The ABGP member also alleged that several members of the organisation were injured during the confrontation and said four of them had been admitted to hospital.

SRFTI campus unrest continues as outsiders gather at the gate at night; students and professors remain inside.
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SRFTI campus unrest continues as outsiders gather at the gate at night; students and professors remain inside. Credit: X/ANI

ABGP Calls Event A Consumer Rights Programme

ABGP state president Pankaj Roy described the programme as an event focused on consumer rights with a “nationalist vision”.

He alleged that some students objected to a picture of Bharat Mata displayed at the venue. Roy also claimed that people attending the programme, including women, were harassed.

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With cases filed by both sides, the incident is now being examined by the police. On Monday, however, the situation at SRFTI remained normal, with students attending classes and no fresh disturbance reported outside the institute.