Jadavpur University files police complaints over violence, damage to emblem

KOLKATA: The historic emblem of Jadavpur University (JU), damaged against the backdrop of clashes on the campus, was repaired and reinstalled at the institution's Gate 4 on Friday, within 24 hours of the incident.

Key points

• The incident occurred after ABVP supporters marched towards Gate 4 from Jadavpur police station.
• The SFI and DSO alleged that ABVP activists damaged the emblem while attempting to scale the closed Gate 4.
• The violence at JU followed clashes between ABVP members and Left-leaning student organisations on Wednesday night, with the confrontation spilling onto the streets on Thursday.
• The university on Friday lodged two police complaints in connection with the violence.
• The ABVP denied involvement in damaging the emblem and instead accused "ultra-left and Naxalite" elements of being responsible.

After clashes between ABVP and Left-leaning student groups on the campus the previous night, the emblem, designed by legendary artist Nandalal Bose, was damaged on Thursday when a protest march by members of the RSS-backed ABVP towards Gate 4 turned violent.

University sources remarked the damaged metal emblem was repaired and restored to its original position to preserve the heritage of one of the country's premier centres of academic excellence.

Notably, the incident occurred after ABVP supporters marched towards Gate 4 from Jadavpur police station. After which stones and glass bottles were hurled into the campus, the protesters allegedly broke through police barricades and reached the locked university gate.

In practice, the emblem was allegedly pulled down and thrown over during the confrontation, drawing criticism from sections of the university's teachers and students.

For context, the university on Friday lodged two police complaints in connection with the violence.

One complaint concerned the alleged entry of a crowd into the campus around midnight, an attempt to damage the main gate, setting fire to SFI flags, destruction of festoons and the alleged locking of students inside a building.

"The complaint sought an investigation and asked the police to prevent recurrence of such incidents on the campus, " a university official remarked.

Notably, the second complaint concerned the alleged scaling of Gate 4, damage to the historic emblem designed by Nandalal Bose, and the pelting of stones and water bottles, the official remarked, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, the SFI and DSO alleged that ABVP activists damaged the emblem while attempting to scale the closed Gate 4.

Notably, the ABVP denied involvement in damaging the emblem and instead accused "ultra-left and Naxalite" elements of being responsible. The organisation additionally alleged that Left student unions and a section of the faculty were attempting to malign it as part of a wider political conspiracy.

In practice, the violence at JU followed clashes between ABVP members and Left-leaning student organisations on Wednesday night, with the confrontation spilling onto the streets on Thursday.

For now, jadavpur University files police complaints over violence, damage to emblem remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.