1 week ago
Jadavpur Students Press VC Over CCTV, FIR and Security
Jadavpur University students met the vice-chancellor to discuss violence on campus.
The trouble began after an alleged attack on an ABVP student leader on August 19.
Students said ABVP supporters later entered the campus and some students hid inside Aurobindo Bhavan.
They believe videos show threats, abusive language and obscene gestures aimed at women.
Students asked why these allegations were not included in the university’s FIR.
They also asked why some people seen in CCTV footage were not named.
The vice-chancellor said the university first filed a general vandalism complaint because it had not reviewed the footage.
He said he did not answer calls because he thought the campus was stable.
The meeting also decided to dissolve a student grievance committee led by former vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau.
Students questioned Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee about alleged attackers not being named in the university’s FIR.
Students said CCTV and mobile videos showed alleged abuse, obscene gestures and threats against women that were omitted from the complaint.
They asked why alleged outsiders entered campus despite retired army personnel being hired to strengthen security.
Students questioned why Bhattacharjee did not answer calls during the alleged 1am attack on August 20.
The meeting decided to dissolve the student grievance redressal committee headed by former vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau.
- Who
- Jadavpur University students, Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, ABVP supporters, former vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau and university security personnel.
- What
- Students questioned the vice-chancellor about the FIR, alleged attacks on women, CCTV footage, campus security and his response during the unrest.
- Where
- Jadavpur University, including Aurobindo Bhavan and the campus gates.
- When
- The meeting took place on Monday; the main incidents occurred around 9pm on August 19 and 1am and 2pm on August 20.
- Why
- Students sought explanations for alleged violence, the omission of offences from the FIR, the entry of alleged outsiders and the handling of emergency calls.
Students’ allegations and questions
University and accused individuals’ responses
FIR and alleged offences against women
Students’ allegations and questions
Students said the FIR failed to include alleged abusive language, obscene gestures and threats against women despite videos and CCTV footage they said documented the conduct.
University and accused individuals’ responses
Bhattacharjee said the university filed a general vandalism complaint because it had not had time to review the CCTV footage, leaving police and a five-member committee to examine it.
People identified in CCTV footage
Students’ allegations and questions
Students said CCTV showed Sau speaking with Adhikari before the alleged raid and asked why neither was named in the FIR, along with other alleged ABVP supporters.
University and accused individuals’ responses
Sau said he had spoken to an ABVP leader but did not know his name and was not involved in the early-August 20 events. Adhikari said he never entered the campus.
Security and the vice-chancellor’s response
Students’ allegations and questions
Students questioned who instructed security personnel to open the gate and said Bhattacharjee failed to respond when they called for help during the alleged attack.
University and accused individuals’ responses
Bhattacharjee said he believed the campus situation had stabilised and therefore did not take calls. The articles do not report a direct answer from him about who ordered the gate to be opened.
Timing of the FIR
Students’ allegations and questions
A student said the university lodged the FIR on August 21 and questioned why it was not filed immediately after the incidents.
University and accused individuals’ responses
The vice-chancellor said the university decided to lodge the FIR after normalcy was restored; another report stated that the complaint was lodged on August 20 evening, creating a discrepancy in the reported timing.
Key facts
- Initial incident
- ABVP supporters were protesting an alleged assault on unit president Nikhil Das around 9pm on August 19.
- Overnight incident
- Students said they took shelter inside Aurobindo Bhavan around 1am on August 20 as alleged attackers moved through the campus.
- FIR concerns
- Students said the complaint mentioned general vandalism but omitted alleged abuse, obscene gestures and threats against women.
- CCTV evidence
- The university said it handed CCTV footage to police and formed a five-member committee to examine the incidents.
- Named individuals questioned
- Students asked why former vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau and ABVP leader Subhabrata Adhikari were not named in the FIR.
- Security arrangements
- Retired army personnel had been recruited alongside regular security staff to strengthen campus security.
- Committee decision
- The meeting decided to dissolve the student grievance redressal committee headed by Sau.
Quotes
An unnamed Jadavpur University student
A student describing efforts to contact the vice-chancellor during the alleged campus violence.
“Why was Sau not named in the FIR? In the CCTV footage, he can be seen talking to ABVP leader Subhabrata Adhikari, who led the attack on the students around 1am on August 20. Why has Adhikari not been named in the FIR?”
telegraphindia.com
“We will barge into the campus. The Prime Minister was talking about dimagi Naxals. We will lead a surgical strike to rid the campus of Naxals and cockroaches.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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