The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata has rusticated six students after an alleged assault on vice-chancellor Santosh Ajmera and vandalism of his office, escalating a campus dispute that has already disrupted classes and administrative work.
The decision was recommended at an emergency meeting of the institute’s Dean Council attended by 11 faculty members, department representatives and the registrar. The students named are Shubham Waydande, Aaron P Joy, Appu Soman, Abhilash B Nair, Nachiket Shashikant Pawar and Dhivahar M.
According to the institute, one student was rusticated for allegedly assaulting the vice-chancellor, while the other five faced action over the alleged vandalism of his chamber. The council said acts of physical violence posed a grave threat to campus safety, institutional discipline, dignity and security. It also recommended immediate measures to protect people on campus and ensure continuity of academic activities.
The incident followed weeks of tension at the institute. Students stopped attending classes after a clash on September 26 involving students and members of Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The situation worsened on October 4 after Bongiya Hindu Jagaran Manch held a protest outside the institute and allegedly assaulted some students.
On Thursday morning, when Ajmera reached his chamber, he found the window panes shattered and furniture covered with glass shards, the report said. He subsequently met faculty members and ordered the installation of CCTV cameras in the corridor outside his office. Students protested the move, after which Ajmera was allegedly heckled and assaulted while walking to the guest house for lunch.
Ajmera, who took charge as vice-chancellor about 15 days ago, condemned the attack on his office and person. “The attack was cowardly, extremely disturbing and unfortunate. It was an act unbecoming of students belonging to an institute of repute like SRFTI,” he said in a statement. He added that the actions of a few students had disturbed peace, order and normal academic activities at the institute.
Security officer Prabir Kumar Munshi said demonstrations inside the administration building had obstructed staff members for two days, forcing them to leave under police escort. He said the institute was registering a first information report against Waydande, the students’ union vice-president, for allegedly assaulting the vice-chancellor. Munshi also referred to an earlier case in which four biometric machines were found damaged.
The Dean Council considered the current allegation alongside the earlier pending proceedings involving Waydande. A faculty member told the report that they felt insecure about returning to campus. A female faculty member also complained that around 20 students had repeatedly opened her office door while shouting slogans on Wednesday.
The students’ union rejected the allegations as fabricated and said the CCTV proposal was the real cause of the latest protest. It maintained that students had used peaceful and non-violent methods and had neither used nor intended to use violence. SRFTI students had protested campus-wide surveillance two years ago, arguing that it could expose them to targeted questioning over administrative issues.
The institute’s immediate priorities are campus security, the police complaint and the restoration of normal academic and administrative activities. The rustication decision follows the emergency Dean Council recommendation, while the student union continues to deny involvement in violence.
