Kolkata Police enters SRFTI campus as students hold torch rally over security concerns

KOLKATA: Police entered the SRFTI campus late on Tuesday night after agitating students took out a torch rally to press for enhanced security on the institute's premises following confrontations involving right-wing groups on September 27 and October 4.

Confirming police entry, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) authorities said nearly 50 students took out a torch march without prior intimation or permission, moving through different parts of the campus, including residential areas near the guest house.

The students carrying torches and shouting intimidating slogans created an atmosphere of fear and anxiety for nearly an hour, an institute official said. "This can't be called a peaceful protest. They can't just take the law into their hands and hijack the institution," the official said.

Some police personnel were still present on the campus on Wednesday morning, an institute employee said. The students' union, however, alleged that 10-15 police personnel entered the campus around 11.30 pm and went near the guest house where the vice-chancellor resides.

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Students' union questions SRFTI admin over deployment of police

The union said its peaceful march within the campus and around the main gate concluded around 6.30 pm, and questioned the administration's decision to deploy police personnel several hours later.

Four student representatives subsequently approached the vice-chancellor seeking a discussion and written clarification on the deployment, but he refused to engage with them, the union alleged. It also claimed that most of the police personnel deployed on the campus were not wearing identification badges, raising concerns over transparency and accountability.

Responding to the vice-chancellor's claim that he felt intimidated by the torch march, the union said it had ensured that the area around the guest house remained clear of students and offered to share videos and photographs to support its claim.

Classes at SRFTI have remained suspended since September 28 following a clash with an RSS-linked organisation on September 27. Tensions escalated on October 4 when members of the RSS-linked Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch marched towards the institute's main gate, during which bottles and bricks were allegedly hurled.

Students have been staging an indefinite sit-in outside the vice-chancellor's office since October 12. They also refused to vacate their hostels after the institute administration asked them to do so on October 16.