Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Clash at Jadavpur University Prompts Inquiry and Security Restrictions
Students from two different political groups fought at Jadavpur University.
The trouble began after a student-union meeting on Wednesday and lasted into Thursday morning.
Some students were hurt and taken to a hospital.
University officials also reported fires in parts of the campus.
The ABVP and Left-leaning groups blamed each other for bringing outsiders.
They also made different claims about violence, vandalism, and flags being burned.
The university's vice chancellor said the incident was unacceptable.
He plans to create a committee to find out what happened.
The university will restrict outsiders from entering after dusk.
ABVP and Left-leaning student groups clashed at Jadavpur University in Kolkata after a Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union meeting.
The confrontation began on Wednesday and continued into early Thursday, with several students injured and some hospitalized.
University officials reported fires at several campus locations, while videos showed groups shouting slogans near locked buildings.
Both sides accused each other of bringing outsiders onto campus; each also made allegations of violence, vandalism, or flag-burning.
Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said an inquiry committee would investigate and that outsider entry after dusk would be restricted.
- Who
- Members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Left-leaning student groups, including SFI and DSO-DSF, were involved, according to university officials.
- What
- A campus clash involving injuries, alleged vandalism, and reported fires took place.
- When
- The confrontation began after a meeting on Wednesday and continued into early Thursday.
- Where
- Jadavpur University in southern Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Why
- The clash reportedly began around a meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union, while the two camps gave conflicting accounts of the subsequent violence.
ABVP's account
Left groups' account
Responsibility for the confrontation
ABVP's account
ABVP alleged that members of Left student organisations, including SFI and DSO-DSF, started confrontations under cover of the student-union meeting.
Left groups' account
Left-leaning groups accused ABVP of bringing outsiders onto campus and engaging in vandalism.
Presence of outsiders
ABVP's account
ABVP alleged that people from outside the university participated in the attack and said police complaints had been filed.
Left groups' account
Left groups alleged that outsiders, including people described by a university official as local BJP workers, entered the campus and attacked Left-union members.
Flags and property damage
ABVP's account
ABVP's account focused on alleged attacks by Left-affiliated groups during the confrontation.
Left groups' account
Left groups alleged that ABVP members removed and burned flags; university sources also reported fires and alleged vandalism.
- Institution
- Jadavpur University
- Main groups
- Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Left-leaning student groups
- Immediate trigger
- A meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union
- Reported injuries
- Several students were injured, and some were taken to a hospital
- University response
- Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said an inquiry committee would be formed
- Security measure
- Entry of outsiders to the campus after dusk was restricted
- Planned protests
- ABVP announced a campus protest, while SFI announced a demonstration near the 8B bus stand