Full Breakdown
Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) Campus Standoff: Police Deployment, Student Rustication and Ongoing Protests
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In this breakdown
01
Core Event – Police Entry and Student Discipline Measures
On the night of October 27, 2026, more than 60 police officers entered the SRFTI campus in Kolkata after a torch-march organized by students. Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera said the deployment was needed to protect campus life, while the students’ union called it an attempt to “criminalise democratic dissent.” The institute also rusticated six students for alleged misconduct and, on October 16, ordered all students to vacate hostels within 24 hours, a move parents described as an effort to disperse the student body.
02
Background & Context – Prior Attacks and Institutional Response
The unrest follows two violent incidents linked to RSS-affiliated groups. On September 27, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) clashed with students during a programme. On October 4, supporters of the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch threw stones and water bottles at students, injuring at least two. No arrests have been reported. Students demanded security and an enquiry; the administration cited the attacks as justification for disciplinary action and the suspension of regular academic activities.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Timeline of Key Developments
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| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sep 27 | ABGP members clash with students. |
| Oct 4 | Hindu Jagaran Manch attacks students. |
| Oct 12 | Indefinite sit-in outside the VC’s office begins. |
| Oct 16 | Hostels ordered vacated; academic activities suspended until Nov 13. |
| Oct 27 (midnight) | Police enter campus after torch-march; deployment continues. |
| Ongoing | 30+ faculty petition registrar to withdraw police; students’ union continues strike. |
04
Official Statements & Responses
- A state-government Special Investigation Team (SIT) and an internal fact-finding committee are examining the incidents.
- Parents wrote that campus safety “rests on the institution” and that inviting police and evicting students does not discharge that responsibility.
- **VC’s reply to *Telegraph India*** acknowledged the parents’ concerns and promised to address them “in due course.”
05
Criticism & Opposition
- Parents (30 signatories) described the hostel-vacation order as an attempt to make students homeless.
- Students’ union condemned the midnight police entry as “intimidation” and warned that normalising a police barrack would “discourage democratic activities.”
- Faculty (30+ members) urged the registrar to withdraw police, emphasizing dialogue over force.
06
On-the-Ground Reports
- Students staged a torch-march on October 27, carrying lit torches for about an hour and burning an effigy outside the main gate.
- Police entered the campus around midnight, positioning near the guest house behind the hostels; some officers were reported without identification badges.
- Stone-pelting and water-bottle throwing were reported during the October 4 clash, with at least a dozen students injured.
07
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Nature of the October 27 protest: The union calls it peaceful dissent; the administration labels it “intimidating.”
- Responsibility for the September 27 and October 4 attacks: Sources name ABGP and the Hindu Jagaran Manch, but no arrests have been made.
- Police identification: The union alleges many officers lacked badges; the administration has not addressed this claim.
- Impact of rustication: The institute cites misconduct (vandalism, defacement, assault); students dispute the allegations.
08
What’s Next
- The SIT and the institute’s internal committee continue investigations; no final report has been released.
- Faculty and students have scheduled further meetings with the registrar to discuss police withdrawal and hostel reinstatement.
- The students’ union plans to pursue legal action against perceived “illegalities” by the administration.