Kolkata: More than 24 hours after Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee filed an FIR against “unknown outsiders/persons” for the violence and vandalism on campus, police on Saturday claimed they have identified some of those involved in the disturbance. They are, however, yet to make any arrest.Cops said they will speak to students, teachers and security guards to establish the identities of the intruders. “Once the identities are established, we will send notices asking them to appear before the investigating officer,” an officer said.Police have sought CCTV footage from cameras installed across the campus to identify those involved in the violence that began a little after midnight on Thursday. JU authorities have told police they have preserved the footage and are ready to assist with the investigation.CCTV footage accessed by TOI shows top central and state functionaries of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on campus along with outsiders, though ABVP has denied involvement in the vandalism.The footage shows the right-wing mob faced no resistance while entering through Gate No. 4 at 12.37am on Thursday. A camera near the entrance of the PG building captured ABVP state secretary Neelkantha Bhattacharjee, sporting a blue T-shirt, on campus with the mob at 12.40am. He was armed with a stick and later picked up another.At one point, he is seen gesturing to someone to set fire to posters and banners put up by left-wing student outfits. “Another video widely circulated on social media shows Bhattacharjee near TEQIP building with a large crowd behind him,” a source said.Neelkantha, however, denied he was the one in the blue T-shirt. “I am not the only one who owns a blue T-shirt. Many can have it. That night, some of our boys entered the campus out of over-enthusiasm. The gate was open. We just pushed inside. I went at most 10 steps inside the university to get them out. Then I came out with them and participated in a sit-in demonstration outside the university gate.” He claimed he did not go near Aurobindo Bhavan or any other building.Another CCTV clip shows former JU vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau, an active member of an RSS-backed teachers’ organisation, standing and speaking with ABVP central working committee member Subhabrata Adhikary inside the campus near Gate No. 4 around 1.07 am on Thursday.“I went to the spot as soon as I received news of the disturbance. No one from the authorities was present there. I was concerned. I told the police to get additional cops to manage any potential flare-up. Once the group retreated and the situation was brought under control, I returned to my quarters. I went and tried to protect the students; is that my crime?” Sau said.Subhabrata Adhikary said, “I was standing right by the gate. I have no connection with the mob. After hearing about the situation, I went there to ensure that no untoward incident happened. ABVP has no involvement in any vandalism.”The complaint filed by Bhattacharjee read: “Around 12.37am onwards, a group of unknown persons/outsiders forcibly and unauthorisedly entered the university campus and indulged in violence, vandalism and destruction of university property. During the occurrence, they set fire to flags, posters and material at the Arts-Science building crossing and at the portico of Aurobindo Bhavan, a heritage building of the university, and threw burning materials through its collapsible gate into the building, where students and security personnel had taken shelter. This act was highly dangerous and was capable of causing serious injury to, and endangering the lives of, the persons taking shelter therein, besides causing substantial damage to the heritage structure.”The complaint also cites damage to the university’s historic emblem, crafted by artist Nandalal Bose.
