Violent Clashes Erupt at Satyajit Ray Film Institute, Multiple FIRs Filed
Violence at SRFTI Campus
Photo: IANS
Kolkata, Sep 28: On Sunday, violent confrontations occurred at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), resulting in three FIRs being lodged by Monday morning. The clashes involved members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) and students, leading to several injuries.
According to law enforcement, one FIR was filed by ABGP members, another by a group of SRFTI students, and the third was initiated by the police themselves. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the incidents.
Following the violence, which lasted approximately seven to eight hours, tensions remained high on the SRFTI campus. A significant police presence has been established outside the institute to avert further disturbances.
The unrest began around 1 p.m. during an ABGP event at SRFTI when activists from the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), affiliated with the CPI(M), arrived at the venue.
SFI members allegedly confronted the event organizers regarding the program's authorization, claiming that the SRFTI administration had allowed ABGP to proceed without notifying them. The organizers accused the SFI of vandalizing images and banners of Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda.
In response, SFI activists asserted that they were labeled as 'militants' and 'Bangladeshis' by the ABGP, leading to physical altercations during their protest.
Conversely, ABGP claimed that their event was disrupted without cause and accused SFI members of chanting 'Azadi' slogans. They maintained that they had received official permission for the gathering.
A large contingent of police, led by the divisional Deputy Commissioner of Police, arrived at the scene following reports of the clashes. The situation intensified, with scuffles reported between students and event organizers.
Some students expressed concerns that police were documenting the identities and addresses of complainants instead of addressing the violence directly. Fearing potential harassment, they demanded immediate action against the perpetrators and staged a protest around a police vehicle to voice their demands.