Tense night at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University: Students attacked, flags set on fire
Members of the SFI and the ABVP clashed at Jadavpur University over the general body meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union.
6 min readKolkataUpdated: Aug 20, 2026 01:34 PM IST
Jadavpur University saw clashes between ABVP and SFI members in Kolkata after a campus altercation, with heavy police deployment following rival protest rallies. (Screengrabs from a video of the clash)
Clashes broke out between members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Jadavpur University in Kolkata late Wednesday night, with the latter alleging that several of its supporters were injured.
University sources said the incident occurred over the general body meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union.
“During the meeting, Left-wing supporters reportedly attempted to constitute the Union unilaterally. This move was opposed by ABVP supporters, namely Diptiman Kar and Nikhil Das (ABVP president). Following this opposition, a physical altercation reportedly occurred between the two groups of students, both inside the campus. The injured ABVP members, Nikhil and Diptiman, were taken to KPC Hospital, Jadavpur, for treatment,” the Kolkata police said in a statement.
The ABVP alleged that the SFI and the Democratic Students Organisation (DSO) and the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) — both Left‑leaning student groups — were holding the meeting when its supporters went to object. The ABVP also claimed SFI members assaulted them.
Meanwhile, the DSO alleged that the ABVP brought outsiders onto the campus and resorted to vandalism. They claimed ABVP members barged in with sticks, attacked SFI and DSO members along with other students, tore down SFI banners and festoons, wiped out slogans, and set flags on fire.
ABVP-Left students’ group clash at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University meeting
“They barged into the campus from Gate 4 and tore down all the banners. They burnt our flags and also tried to burn Aurobindo Bhavan, but a security guard rushed and locked the gates. Then, the ABVP supporters kicked the gates,” an SFI supporter told the media.
A security guard on night duty described the incident as “very scary”. Stationed at Aurobindo Bhawan, he said some students asked him to open the gates. “I opened them, they entered, and then I locked all the gates. On the other side, they were kicking the gates, setting flags on fire, and throwing them inside. I was in touch with the administration,” he added.
Debanjan Dey, state secretary of the SFI in West Bengal, slammed the ABVP for allegedly trying to set Aurobindo Bhavan on fire. “The ABVP along with the RSS and a BJP MLA and her goons attacked students. This attack is meant to spoil the environment inside the university. The RSS and the BJP have tried to suppress JU, but they will not be successful,” he said.
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Srijan Bhattacharya, general secretary, SFI, said he heard that some students were holding a meeting when ABVP students attacked them. “Then I heard that BJP goons entered the campus, ransacked the campus, and a BJP MLA came to save them,” he alleged.
BJP MLA Sharbari Mukherjee, who had rushed to the spot, questioned how the general body meeting was held. “They had agreed that there would be no unions in the campus; then how was the general body meeting held? Who called it?”
The police said that around midnight, Mukherjee and her supporters arrived at Jadavpur police station to lodge a complaint. A third-year student submitted a written complaint, naming 11 people.
After the pro-vice-chancellor contacted the Jadavpur police and requested police assistance inside the campus, the police said a team entered the campus. “The police team removed the outsiders and observed that some posters and festoons had been torn and burned outside Arbindo Bhavan. Approximately 50-60 members were found inside the Bhavan, where the meeting was still on. When asked to come out, they refused to leave. Police intervened immediately and dispersed them,” the statement added.
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Campus meant for studies, vandalism unacceptable: V-C
Speaking to the media, Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Professor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee condemned the attack. “In this campus, students have freedom to hold various political opinions, but it is a place for studies. Vandalism is absolutely unacceptable and should never happen. JU has recently been in the news for the wrong reasons; we should be known for our research excellence. We are in constant touch with the police, though no formal complaint has been lodged yet,” he said.
Bhattacharjee added that while the court had directed the installation of CCTV cameras and round‑the‑clock police presence, the university had opposed police deployment on campus. “The police called me. I had told them not to enter but to stay outside and be prepared to enter if required. Who started the trouble, who provoked it—all will be found in the investigation. Student and campus security is our top priority, and if a police outpost is required, that will be done,” he added.
On Thursday, Jadavpur University remained calm amid police presence even as the ABVP and the SFI called separate rallies to protest the clashes.
“The present situation in and around the university is peaceful. Security forces and officers have been deployed outside the university gates to prevent any further disturbances. However, information has been received regarding planned political agitations by the involved student organisations of various political parties at the 8B bus stand and Jadavpur University surrounding areas in connection with the above incidents. Necessary arrangements are being made accordingly,” the police statement added.
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The Jadavpur University administration is holding a high-level meeting, following which a report is likely to be sent to Lok Bhawan and the state administration, according to university sources.
Meanwhile, a petition on the clash was mentioned before the Calcutta High Court for urgent hearing. While the bench of acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee did not accept the urgent plea, it advised filing a case. The court said that a hearing will be held once the case is listed.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
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