Jadavpur University clash: Kolkata Police examine CCTV, probe outsider angle
Synopsis
Kolkata Police are dissecting CCTV footage from multiple campus points at Jadavpur University to answer one central question: were outsiders behind the SFI-ABVP clashes of 19-20 August? With a university inquiry committee also convening on 27 August, the twin probes signal that the violence — which damaged a historic emblem designed by Nandalal Bose — is being treated as far more than a routine student dispute.
Key Takeaways
Kolkata Police are examining CCTV footage from multiple points at Jadavpur University following student clashes on 19 and 20 August .
Investigators are building a timeline to determine whether outsiders were involved in instigating or organising the violence.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Jha visited the campus and met registrar Selim Box Mandal on Tuesday .
Clashes occurred between SFI and ABVP activists; the university's emblem — designed by Nandalal Bose — was damaged and repaired by 21 August .
A university inquiry committee headed by former Justice Pranab Kumar Chatterjee holds its first meeting on 27 August .
Kolkata Police have launched a formal investigation into the student clashes at Jadavpur University in south Kolkata, examining CCTV footage collected from multiple points across the campus to reconstruct a minute-by-minute account of the violence that erupted on 19 and 20 August. Investigators are working to establish who was present, where the confrontations began, and whether outsiders played a role in instigating or organising the clashes.
What Investigators Are Doing
A senior Kolkata Police officer confirmed on Tuesday that a detailed timeline is being built — tracking campus entry and exit, interactions between individuals, and the sequence of events leading up to and following the violence. Footage from campus entrances, gates, and surrounding areas is also being reviewed.
'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.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Jha visited the campus and met with university registrar Selim Box Mandal to discuss the clashes between the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left student organisations.
What Happened on August 19 and 20
Two separate 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. The first confrontation took place at the 8B Bus Stand crossing, where SFI activists clashed with security personnel. The second, more serious clash occurred in front of the university's main gate between SFI and ABVP activists.
During the second clash, the engraved emblem of Jadavpur University — designed by celebrated painter Nandalal Bose — was damaged. It was repaired and reinstalled at gate number four on 21 August.
The Outsider Angle
A key focus of the police probe is whether individuals from outside the university were involved. Investigators are verifying whether pre-existing tension between the student organisations escalated organically, or whether specific individuals deliberately provoked the confrontations. The probe seeks to determine if there was any prior planning or organised involvement behind the violence.
This is not the first time Jadavpur University has seen politically charged student clashes. The institution has historically been a flashpoint for ideological conflict between Left-affiliated and BJP-affiliated student bodies, making the outsider-involvement question particularly significant.
University Inquiry Committee
Jadavpur University authorities have constituted an independent inquiry committee, headed by former Justice Pranab Kumar Chatterjee, to examine the events of 19 and 20 August. The committee's first sitting is scheduled for 27 August. The parallel probes — one by police, one by the university — suggest institutional acknowledgement of the seriousness of the incidents.
With CCTV analysis ongoing and the inquiry committee set to convene, the coming days will be critical in establishing accountability for the clashes and whether external forces were behind the campus violence.
Point of View
But the deliberate focus on whether external actors organised or instigated the violence points to a broader political dimension that neither the police nor the university can afford to sidestep. The parallel tracks — a criminal investigation and an internal inquiry committee — are appropriate, but their credibility will depend on whether findings are made public and acted upon. West Bengal's campus politics has a long history of organised mobilisation by both Left and BJP-affiliated groups; if the CCTV evidence implicates either side's apparatus, the political fallout will extend well beyond the university gates.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the clashes at Jadavpur University on 19 and 20 August?
Two separate clashes broke out between activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) outside the Jadavpur University campus. The first clash was at the 8B Bus Stand crossing and the second at the main gate, during which the university's historic emblem was damaged.
What is Kolkata Police investigating in the Jadavpur University case?
Kolkata Police are examining CCTV footage from multiple campus locations to reconstruct a timeline of events — who entered, who interacted, and who left. The key focus is determining whether outsiders were involved in planning or instigating the violence between SFI and ABVP activists.
Who is heading the Jadavpur University inquiry committee?
The university has formed an inquiry committee headed by former Justice Pranab Kumar Chatterjee to investigate the incidents of 19 and 20 August. The committee's first meeting is scheduled for 27 August 2025.
Was any property damaged during the Jadavpur University clashes?
Yes. The engraved emblem of Jadavpur University, designed by renowned painter Nandalal Bose, was damaged during the second clash at the main gate. It was repaired and reinstalled at gate number four on 21 August.
What is the SFI and how is it connected to the Jadavpur clash?
The Students' Federation of India (SFI) is the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). SFI activists were involved in both clashes — first with security personnel at the 8B Bus Stand crossing, and then with ABVP activists at the university's main gate on 19 and 20 August.
