New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- Students protesting at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) have alleged that women students received rape threats on social media and sought the intervention of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, while reiterating their demand for Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera's resignation.
At a Press conference at the Kolkata Press Club on Saturday, a student said she had lodged an email complaint with the Kolkata Police cyber cell over the alleged threats. Protesters also claimed that police personnel, security guards and unidentified men had filmed women students on campus without their consent, raising concerns over possible misuse of the footage.
The unrest began on September 27 over an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, with students alleging assaults by outsiders. Following another reported incident on October 4, students demanded Ajmera's resignation, action against the alleged attackers and withdrawal of police personnel from the campus.
Ajmera, meanwhile, alleged that students had assaulted him and vandalised his office. Six students were subsequently rusticated over the allegations.
The standoff intensified after the administration extended the Puja vacation until November 13, shut hostel mess facilities and directed students to vacate the campus. However, protesters continued their sit-in, with classes remaining suspended since September 27.
At Saturday's press conference, a student also alleged that an unidentified person had approached her outside the campus and sought her home address. The protesters said their agitation would continue until their demands were met. Former students have also called for the withdrawal of police personnel from the institute.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.