Flare-Up at SRFTI as Hindu Outfit Protesters Hurl Bricks, Bottles at Students

Tension flared again at Kolkata’s Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) on Sunday evening after members of the Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch (BHJM) staged a protest outside the institute and allegedly hurled bricks and bottles towards students inside the campus.

The latest incident comes just a week after clashes at the film institute over an event organised by an RSS-linked outfit. The renewed confrontation has once again raised concerns over security at the campus and the possibility of further escalation between protesters and students.

According to the report, members of the Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch reached the gates of SRFTI on the EM Bypass during their protest march. The organisation alleged that students of the institute had insulted Swami Vivekananda and Bharat Mata. During the demonstration, protesters attempted to enter the SRFTI campus.

Police personnel intervened to prevent the protesters from entering the institute premises. A scuffle subsequently broke out between members of the protesting group and the police. Some police personnel were injured during the confrontation.

The situation became more tense when protesters allegedly threw bricks and bottles at students from outside the campus. The incident created a tense atmosphere around the institute as students remained inside the premises while police attempted to control the situation.

The students had reportedly anticipated the possibility of a confrontation. On Saturday, they wrote to Kolkata Police and the West Bengal government, raising concerns about the planned protest march by the Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch. The students had requested that the police not grant permission for the rally and had also sought adequate security arrangements around the institute.

The latest confrontation follows an earlier dispute at SRFTI involving an event linked to an RSS-affiliated organisation. With another protest taking place within a short period, concerns have grown among students about their safety and security on campus.

The incident also highlights the challenge for law enforcement authorities in maintaining security around educational institutions when demonstrations involving competing political, ideological or cultural groups take place.

For the students, the immediate concern remains safety inside the campus. Their appeal to the authorities before Sunday's protest indicates that they had already raised concerns about the possibility of disruption and confrontation.

Police intervention prevented protesters from entering the institute, but the reported injuries to police personnel and the alleged throwing of bricks and bottles demonstrate the intensity of the confrontation.

Authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Sunday's incident, including the conduct of protesters, the security arrangements at the institute and the concerns raised by students before the march.

The situation at SRFTI has therefore emerged as a sensitive law-and-order issue in Kolkata, with the institute becoming the centre of repeated protests and clashes within a short period.