Kolkata: After collecting CCTV footage, Kolkata Police have begun investigating last week’s clash between two student organisations at Jadavpur University.
A senior officer said on Tuesday that investigators are trying to determine what exactly happened on the night of the incident, where the clash started, who was present and whether outsiders were involved.
Police said they have collected footage from multiple points on the university premises. Investigators are creating a detailed timeline of events: who entered the campus and when, who interacted, what preceded the clash and who left afterwards.
“We have received CCTV footage. They are being examined. The investigation is going on as it should be in such incidents. We will do whatever is necessary,” a Kolkata Police official stated.
The probe aims not only to identify those who took part in the clash but also to establish whether there was planning, instigation or organised involvement. The focus is on identifying outsiders.
Police sources said they may also examine footage from entrances, gates and surrounding areas. Investigators are verifying whether tension between student organisations preceded the clash or whether specific individuals’ provocation triggered it.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Jha visited the campus earlier in the day and spoke to registrar Selim Box Mandal about the clashes between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left student organisations.
On August 19 and 20, clashes broke out between activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and ABVP outside the Jadavpur University campus in south Kolkata.
The first confrontation occurred at the 8B Bus Stand crossing, where SFI activists clashed with security personnel. The second clash took place in front of the main gate between SFI and ABVP activists.
During the second clash, the engraved emblem of Jadavpur University, designed by painter Nandalal Bose, was damaged. It was repaired and reinstalled at gate number four on August 21.
Meanwhile, Jadavpur University authorities have formed an inquiry committee headed by former Justice Pranab Kumar Chatterjee to investigate the incidents of August 19 and 20. The committee’s first meeting is scheduled for August 27.
(IANS)
