A Special Investigation Team has been formed to investigate the September 27 clashes at Kolkata’s Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), where students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) accused each other of assault during an event held on campus. The development comes after police registered multiple cases and maintained security around the central government-run film institute following the violence.
The confrontation began after students questioned the holding of an ABGP programme at the institute’s auditorium. What started as a protest escalated into a physical clash, with competing accounts from students and event organisers about who initiated the violence. India Today
SRFTI Clash SIT Probe to Examine September 27 Violence
The SIT is expected to examine the sequence of events that led to the confrontation, the allegations made by both sides and available evidence such as videos and statements from people present at the institute.
Police had already registered three FIRs in connection with the incident. One was a suo motu police case, while two others followed complaints from the institute’s dean and the ABGP. The Indian Express
The suo motu case included allegations that police personnel were prevented from entering or leaving the campus while performing their duties and that a police vehicle was damaged. Careers360
The creation of an SIT adds a dedicated investigative structure to a case that has generated sharply different claims from the groups involved.
What Happened at SRFTI on September 27?
The violence occurred during a programme organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, a consumer organisation described in several reports as having links with the RSS.
ABGP had obtained permission to use the institute’s auditorium and said it had formally hired the venue for its programme. Students, however, questioned why an outside organisation had been allowed to conduct the event and said the student community had not been informed in advance. India Today
Students subsequently gathered near the programme venue and displayed posters protesting the institute administration’s decision.
A heated exchange followed and eventually developed into physical confrontation.
Police were later deployed in large numbers as tensions spread beyond the auditorium and towards the institute’s gates. The Indian Express
Students Allege Assault Inside Campus
The SRFTI Students’ Union alleged that participants in the event used terms such as “anti-national” and “urban Naxal” against students before the confrontation turned violent.
Students claimed they were attacked with objects including sticks, stones and bricks. They also alleged that women students were manhandled and that some students were chased through the campus. The Indian Express
Reports also carried allegations that faculty members and a library employee were assaulted.
Some accounts put the number of injured students and faculty substantially higher than initial official assessments. The precise number of injuries has varied across reports, making the SIT investigation important for establishing a verified sequence of events. The Times of India
An SRFTI official initially said there had been no report of any serious injury and that authorities were monitoring the situation. India Today
ABGP Rejects Students’ Version, Alleges Its Members Were Attacked
ABGP has disputed the students’ account.
The organisation said its programme had been authorised and alleged that students disrupted the gathering, tore down posters and banners and assaulted participants.
An ABGP representative said four members of the organisation had been admitted to hospital after the confrontation. The group also alleged that images or posters featuring Bharat Mata and Swami Vivekananda were damaged. India Today
These remain competing allegations. The investigation will have to assess witness statements, video evidence and other material before responsibility for specific acts can be established.
Tension Continued Outside SRFTI Gates
The confrontation did not end when the auditorium programme was disrupted.
Students later locked the institute’s main gate and staged a sit-in while demanding police action against people they accused of attacking them.
Students alleged that people who had gathered outside the campus threw stones and bottles towards those inside. Police cordoned off the area and remained deployed around the institute. The Indian Express
An ambulance carrying injured students was also briefly held up near the gate before police helped it leave the area, according to The Telegraph. Telegraph India
The campus was calmer the following day, although police continued to maintain a presence. Hindustan Times
Students Begin Academic Boycott
The dispute has continued beyond the police investigation.
SRFTI students have now called for an indefinite academic boycott, affecting classes, workshops and film shoots, according to a September 30 report. Students also organised a protest event on campus as part of their response to the September 27 violence. The Times of India
Several members of the film and cultural community have also expressed solidarity with the students.
Separately, the All Indian Cine Workers Association had sought an SIT investigation into the episode, citing allegations of assaults on students and faculty. LinkedIn
What Is SRFTI?
The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute was established by the Government of India in 1995 and operates as an autonomous educational institution under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The Kolkata institute provides professional education in filmmaking, television and digital-media disciplines. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Its status as a national film institute has added wider attention to the September 27 confrontation and subsequent questions over campus security and use of institutional facilities by outside organisations.
Key Facts
- Incident: Clash at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute
- Date: September 27, 2026
- Location: SRFTI campus, Kolkata
- Groups involved: Sections of SRFTI students and ABGP members
- Latest development: SIT formed to investigate the clashes
- FIRs: At least three cases had been registered following the violence
- Trigger: Student objections to an ABGP programme held at the institute auditorium
- Current campus situation: Students have announced an indefinite academic boycott. The Indian Express
Why the SIT Investigation Matters
The probe will have to reconcile sharply conflicting accounts.
Students say they were attacked after questioning the event, while ABGP maintains that its authorised programme was disrupted and its members were assaulted.
Video footage, medical records, police reports, complaints and statements from students, faculty members, organisers and officers present at the scene could therefore be central to establishing what occurred.
Until the investigation reaches findings, allegations about responsibility for the violence should be treated as claims by the respective sides rather than established facts.
What Happens Next?
Investigators are expected to examine evidence linked to the September 27 incident and determine responsibility under the FIRs already registered.
The continuing student boycott also means the consequences of the clash extend beyond the criminal investigation to normal academic activity at SRFTI.
Further clarity is expected as police disclose findings from the SIT probe and any subsequent arrests, charges or court proceedings.
FAQs
Why has an SIT been formed in the SRFTI case?
The SIT has been formed to investigate the September 27 violence involving SRFTI students and members of the ABGP and examine the competing allegations made after the clashes.
Why did the SRFTI clash begin?
Students objected to an ABGP programme being held at the institute auditorium and questioned why an outside organisation had been allowed to use the venue without students being informed beforehand. Careers360
How many FIRs were registered after the SRFTI violence?
Police had registered three FIRs: a suo motu case and cases based on complaints from the institute’s dean and ABGP. The Indian Express
What have SRFTI students alleged?
Students have alleged verbal abuse, physical assaults and attacks on students and some faculty members. These allegations are part of the investigation. The Indian Express
What has ABGP said?
ABGP says it had permission to hold the programme and alleges that students disrupted the event, damaged posters and attacked its members. NDTV