Jadavpur University will seek the inquiry committee’s opinion before deciding whether to file a police complaint over the alleged unauthorised release of CCTV footage from student clashes on the campus, Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said on Tuesday.
The alleged leak concerns footage from violence on August 19 and 20 involving members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and Left-leaning student groups. The clips were reportedly sent to several news channels and later broadcast, according to an allegation made by the ABVP.
Bhattacharya said the university would first consult the inquiry committee headed by a former Calcutta High Court judge. “We are seeking the committee’s opinion, and the university will take a decision (about making a police complaint) after hearing its view,” he told PTI.
The committee’s remit covers the full sequence of events, including the August 19 clash, the alleged rampage on the campus and developments the following day. The CCTV footage aired by television channels purportedly showed incidents during the violence and damage to the university emblem at Gate No. 4 on August 20.
The clashes followed a general meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union. Several students were injured after members of the ABVP and Left-leaning groups clashed on the campus. Both sides accused each other of bringing outsiders into the university premises.
A related confrontation took place on the afternoon of August 20, when SFI and ABVP supporters scuffled with police while attempting to enter the campus from opposite ends of the same road. During the confrontation, the university emblem, designed by artist Nandalal Bose, was pulled down from Gate No. 4.
The footage at the centre of the latest dispute purportedly captured events on the night of August 19, after an ABVP student leader was assaulted and a group entered the campus. The university has not yet announced whether a police complaint will be filed or identified the person or organisation responsible for releasing the clips.
Alongside the inquiry, the university has announced tighter entry controls. Identity cards will be required for entry between 7 pm and 7 am on weekdays. The campus will remain closed to entry on Sundays and holidays as part of the enhanced security arrangements.
The university’s next decision on the alleged CCTV leak will follow the inquiry committee’s views on the entire chain of events, including the clashes, the release of the footage and the subsequent campus security concerns.
