Kolkata: The stand-off on the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) campus continued on Monday despite the institute’s assurance to ensure student safety on campus and treat those who sustained injuries following two consecutive Sundays of clashes with right-wing protesters.At least five students, including two from SRFTI who were on campus, were injured on Sunday. “We were inside the campus when we saw the mob outside. We did not retaliate even when stones were being pelted. Around 5.30 pm, I was hit by a stone and started bleeding profusely. I received first aid, and once the mob dispersed, a fellow student and I were rushed to a hospital where I received three stitches. My friend got hit by a bottle and a stone,” said Anamika Pal, an SRFTI student.The ordeal faced by students outside the campus was equally harrowing. Aalekh Jyoti Das, a fourth-year sociology student from Presidency University, and Prithwisha Roy, a third-year English student from Jadavpur University, arrived near the campus around 5 pm alongside an SRFTI student. “The barricades were already up. Cops told us that we wouldn’t be able to enter the campus,” Prithwisha recalled.As stone and bottle pelting escalated, both pulled out their phones to document the violence, which immediately sparked an altercation. According to Aalekh Jyoti: “Some were trying to climb the gate. Since they couldn’t enter the campus, their entire rage was directed at us. They were pulling my friend’s hair, and I went to protect him. Someone snatched my specs in between. I feel they thought I wouldn’t be able to see properly if they did so. Within minutes, I found myself on the street. Some 15 to 20 guys started thrashing me all over. They spat on all of us. My face is swollen, and so is one side of my head.”Prithwisha added, “Someone grabbed my hair and dragged me across the street. Initially, I was so numb that I couldn’t react. Later, when I reached home, I found bruises all over my body.”Aalekh Jyoti said, “I went to a hospital for basic first aid on Sunday. I had terrible body aches all day. We were advised to get a CT scan and USG done, but we were so scared that we couldn’t do any of it and decided to seek a doctor’s appointment on Monday evening.”In a press release on Monday, the institute’s VC, Santosh Ajmera, stated: “SRFTI is a national institution dedicated to education in cinema and television. It brings together students from across India, representing diverse regions, languages, cultures, and lived experiences. This diversity has been one of the Institute’s greatest strengths and an essential part of its creative identity. The events of the past few days have been deeply concerning. We are extending full support to the injured students and taking every necessary measure to safeguard our students so they can continue their academic and creative work.” The release added that the institute is actively communicating with students to address their concerns, ensuring that students, faculty, and staff remain safe and can pursue their work without fear.Following “disturbances and security disruptions caused by a group of outsiders” near the main gate on Sunday, SRFTI filed a formal complaint with the authorities. The statement noted: “Police intervention helped disperse the gathering, and the institute is working closely with local authorities to maintain peace, offering full cooperation, supporting injured students, and enhancing campus security at the perimeter and gates. The institute is maintaining regular communication with students and addressing their concerns. The institute reiterates that students should be able to attend classes and pursue their academic and creative work without fear. The safety of students, faculty, staff, and the protection of the academic character of the Institute will remain central to SRFTI’s response to the present situation.”However, both students and faculty members — especially those commuting daily from outside the campus —remain unsettled. A faculty member said the “gate-crashing attempt has left a deep scar.” “There is a pervasive sense of insecurity among both students and staff. We are worried about the loss of academic days, especially since we do not know when this will end or when normalcy will return. The police are increasing the barricades outside the main gate, which is the only visual change we see on Monday. However, the fear is palpable. We feel anything could happen at any time. We have seen protests and slogans before, but physical violence of this scale is entirely unprecedented for us.”
