Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Jadavpur VC Explains Delay in FIR After Campus Violence
A fight happened at Jadavpur University after a student meeting on August 20.
Students from ABVP and Left-leaning groups blamed each other and said outsiders were involved.
Several students were hurt, and parts of the university were damaged.
The university’s emblem was also pulled down during another confrontation.
The vice chancellor said the police complaint was delayed because he could not reach the campus right away.
The university filed several complaints on August 21.
It plans to give police CCTV footage and other evidence.
Different student groups held marches, while teachers asked everyone to protect a peaceful and democratic learning environment.
Jadavpur University filed multiple police complaints on August 21 over the August 20 campus violence, vandalism, arson and alleged trespassing.
Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said he could not reach campus immediately after the unrest, causing the delay in filing the complaint.
The clash followed a Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union meeting and involved ABVP and Left-leaning student groups, with several students injured.
The university said it would provide police with evidence, including CCTV footage allegedly showing outsiders entering campus and the university emblem being damaged.
SFI-led groups and ABVP held separate marches, while the teachers’ association called for a peaceful academic environment and opposed portraying the university as anti-national.
- Who
- Jadavpur University officials, ABVP members, Left-leaning student groups and the Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association were involved or issued statements.
- What
- Campus violence involving clashes, alleged trespassing, vandalism, arson, attacks and damage to the university emblem and part of Aurobindo Bhavan led to multiple police complaints.
- When
- The main unrest occurred in the early hours of August 20; the university filed complaints on August 21, and related statements and marches were reported on August 24.
- Where
- Jadavpur University in Kolkata, including the area around gate number 4 and Aurobindo Bhavan; marches were held in other parts of the city.
- Why
- The clash followed a general meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union, while the groups differed over responsibility for the violence, outsider involvement and the university’s academic atmosphere.
Left-leaning groups and teachers’ association
ABVP and university administration
Responsibility for the unrest
Left-leaning groups and teachers’ association
Left-leaning groups demanded arrests of those allegedly involved in vandalism and attacks on democratic forces. The teachers’ association said outsiders and comments from people outside the university aggravated the initial student altercation.
ABVP and university administration
ABVP accused a ‘Communist conspiracy’ of disrupting the university’s academic atmosphere. The university said CCTV captured outsiders entering campus and said it would submit evidence to police.
Damage to the university emblem
Left-leaning groups and teachers’ association
The teachers’ association said outsiders allegedly scaled the gates during a university march and damaged the emblem, arguing that a simple expression of regret could have resolved the issue.
ABVP and university administration
ABVP demanded immediate action from university authorities to protect the institution’s heritage and infrastructure, while the university identified the emblem damage as part of the incidents under investigation.
University environment
Left-leaning groups and teachers’ association
JUTA said diverse viewpoints are part of Jadavpur University’s tradition and opposed what it called false propaganda portraying the institution as anti-national.
ABVP and university administration
ABVP said action was needed to protect the academic atmosphere and the university’s heritage and infrastructure.
- Main incident
- Clash, vandalism and arson occurred at Jadavpur University in the early hours of August 20.
- Police complaints
- The university filed multiple complaints on August 21 concerning trespassing, vandalism, attacks and damage to Aurobindo Bhavan.
- Vice chancellor
- Chiranjib Bhattacharya said he could not reach campus immediately after the unrest, explaining the delay in filing the complaint.
- Evidence
- The university said it would submit CCTV footage and other evidence to police.
- Additional damage
- The university emblem was pulled down from gate number 4 during a confrontation on August 20 afternoon.
- Student marches
- Left-leaning groups marched from Sealdah railway station to College Street, while ABVP marched from Dhakuria to the 8B Bus Stand.
- Teachers’ response
- The Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association called for a peaceful, democratic environment and opposed portraying the university as anti-national.
