Jadavpur University has beefed up its security measures after a leak and unauthorised circulation of CCTV footage linked to the violence that took place on August 19 and 20. The university administration is still investigating how footage was obtained and shared and will determine when to file a police complaint after a panel of inquiry is established.
Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said the university would first seek the opinion of the inquiry panel before deciding on further action regarding the alleged CCTV footage leak. The administration is mulling whether the circulation of recordings from the campus needs to be reported to the police, he said.
The issue came to light after CCTV footage of the clashes was shared with organisations outside the university. Some of the recordings were also broadcast by news channels, which raise questions about how CCTV material was viewed and circulated outside the university system.
The university has already formed an inquiry committee led by a former Calcutta High Court judge to investigate the campus violence. The committee is investigating how the clashes played out, as well as what happened before and after the incidents. Its findings are expected to form the basis for the university’s next step, the report said.
The alleged CCTV leak added yet another layer to the investigation. CCTV recordings can be helpful when authorities are trying to reconstruct events on a campus, but questions about how they are released and distributed can also raise security and institutional procedures. So the university administration is waiting for the inquiry panel to assess the matter before deciding whether it should be reported to the police.
Jadavpur University Introduces Stricter Campus Entry Rules
Along with the probe, Jadavpur University has strengthened its campus entry regulations. Identity cards will be required for entry between 7 pm and 7 am on weekdays. Entry to the campus will also be closed on Sundays and holidays, the university administration said.
The stricter measures follow the violence that erupted after a general meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union, or FETSU. Other student groups also clashed on the campus, and several students were injured. Since the fighting, there have been allegations and counter-allegations by the groups, and some of them also stated there were outsiders on campus.
The events of August 19-20 have since been under investigation, with the university trying to understand what happened and how the situation developed. The former High Court judge who has been appointed to investigate the violence and what happened in connection with it has been appointed.
Some of the captured CCTV footage that was broadcast by the news channels showed scenes from the college campus during unrest. Among those are footage of some part of the campus and damage to the university emblem at Gate No. 4. The reported circulation of the recordings has prompted the administration to investigate if security measures regarding the CCTV footage are not being followed.
But the university’s inquiry into the leak is separate from the broader campus violence investigation but is connected to the handling of evidence and recordings from the incidents. The administration’s decision to wait for the inquiry committee’s views indicates that it wants to hear what the panel finds before deciding if further legal action is warranted.
The enhanced entry restrictions are also part of the university's response to the security concerns after the clashes. The requirement for identification during evening and overnight hours is intended to provide greater control over movement on the premises, while restrictions on Sundays and holidays will further limit access during periods when regular academic activities take place.
