Students stabbed after objecting to RSS event inside SRFTI campus in W. Bengal
Kolkata: At least six students of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata were injured in an alleged stabbing attack after they confronted an RSS-affiliated group over an event being organized inside the campus.
Tensions began around 12 pm during a leadership event organized by Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), an RSS-affiliated organization, in the main theatre. Students said the organization had obtained permission from the Registrar without informing the elected Student Union, which is usually informed when the space used for academic activities and screenings is booked.
The Student Union formally objected and students went to put up posters questioning the decision. According to the Student Union statement issued by President Blossom Hazarika, ABGP members confronted students, verbally abused them as “anti-national” and “cockroaches”, and physically attacked them including women students using punches, kicks, stones, bricks and sticks.
Students said at least six were critically injured in stabbing, while several others sustained injuries, with one hit in face with stone. The violence spread across campus and students not part of protest were also chased, clothes torn and phones snatched. Students who took shelter inside library were followed and the librarian was also assaulted.
Following the clash, a large mob gathered outside the institute and around 150 students remained stranded inside since 1 pm, taking shelter behind locked doors as stones and bottles were pelted from outside. Police arrived and detained the person identified as main accused in a van inside campus, but mob outside reportedly demanded his release.
Students expressed concern over lack of medical assistance and inadequate security and accused Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of failing to de-escalate. Several faculty members joined students in solidarity. The students refused to leave campus demanding immediate registration of FIR against main accused, while situation remained tense with heavy police presence outside.
