{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "FTII Itanagar Students Halt Classes Indefinitely Following Attack on Faculty and Peers",
  "summary": "Academic operations at FTII Itanagar have been suspended indefinitely after local youths assaulted students and a National Award-winning filmmaker near the campus.",
  "content": "Academic routines at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) campus in Itanagar have come to a complete standstill as students launched an indefinite boycott of all classes. The unrest follows an assault near the institute that left multiple students and a prominent faculty member injured, triggering widespread concerns over security arrangements around the educational facility.\n\nThe Altercation on Jollang-Rakap Road\nThe trouble began on the evening of September 16 while three students were outdoors completing an academic project. According to the Students’ Council, a group of local youths intercepted the students along the Jollang-Rakap Road, situated in close proximity to the campus. A verbal disagreement quickly escalated into violence when one of the youths struck a student using a stick.\n\nDominic Sangma, the head of the Screenwriting Department and a celebrated two-time National Award-winning filmmaker from Meghalaya, stepped in to defuse the situation. However, two youths turned on him and assaulted him directly. Sangma has earned broad critical acclaim for his Garo-language feature films including 'Rapture' (Rimdogittanga) and 'Ma.Ama'. During the commotion, another student standing nearby was struck on the head with a bamboo stick. When campus guards and institute administrative personnel arrived to intervene, they were also subjected to severe intimidation and verbal threats.\n\nPolice Action and Rising Safety Concerns\nLaw enforcement authorities confirmed that two individuals accused in the assault have been taken into custody. Despite the arrests, the Students’ Council declared that the protest, which commenced on September 17, would not cease until management institutes dependable safety protocols.\n\nFemale students in particular have voiced heightened anxiety over recurring safety lapses, citing unmonitored entry by outsiders into campus spaces and repeated instances of harassment. The council maintained that the atmosphere on campus remains tense without systemic intervention.\n\nPending CISF Deployment and Resolution Demands\nA primary grievance highlighted by the demonstrating students involves the long-delayed deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Institute authorities had formally assured the student body in May 2025 that CISF personnel would take charge of security. That initiative, however, has remained stalled for over 16 months because suitable housing accommodations were never provided for the security personnel.\n\nTo end the impasse, the council is demanding immediate CISF deployment alongside the establishment of a dedicated police outpost near the campus premises. Furthermore, they are pressing for a joint committee of faculty and students to supervise legal follow-ups related to the assault, as well as a permanent coordination committee to foster peace and understanding between institute members and the surrounding community.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThe indefinite suspension of classes directly disrupts academic progress while escalating the demand for structural safety measures around the national institute.\n\n• Across India: Enrolled students from across the country now face stalled coursework and delayed graduation timelines until the administrative deadlock resolves. The disruption pauses practical film shoots and project submissions indefinitely.\n• In Itanagar: Increased law enforcement presence is expected along Jollang-Rakap Road to prevent further friction between campus residents and local groups. Stricter patrols and potential police outpost installations will change daily traffic around the institution.\n• For female scholars: Intensified scrutiny over external trespassers will likely result in tighter campus entry regulations and updated surveillance. These measures aim to alleviate anxiety surrounding harassment and unmonitored outsiders.\n• Administrative obligations: The institute administration is under direct pressure to resolve the 16-month delay in providing accommodations for security personnel. Academic normalcy hinges entirely on fulfilling the pledge to station dedicated security forces.\n\nWhy this happened\nThe confrontation originated from a street altercation during an academic assignment and escalated rapidly due to prolonged security vulnerabilities around the campus.\n\n• Immediate trigger: A group of local youths intercepted three students on Jollang-Rakap Road during coursework, precipitating a physical fight where sticks were used against students and an intervening faculty head.\n• Unresolved security gaps: Ongoing unauthorized entries by outsiders and past intimidation incidents had already created deep apprehension among students, leaving the campus vulnerable to sudden conflicts.\n• Delayed security implementation: Commitments made in May 2025 to station CISF personnel remained inactive for over 16 months due to an absence of official accommodation facilities, leaving the institute without fortified perimeter security.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Why did students at FTII Itanagar suspend all academic activities?\nStudents halted classes indefinitely to protest an assault on peers and a faculty member, demanding enhanced campus security.\n\n2. Which prominent faculty member was injured during the incident?\nDominic Sangma, head of the Screenwriting Department and a two-time National Award-winning filmmaker, was assaulted while attempting to intervene.\n\n3. Where and when did the altercation occur?\nThe incident took place on the evening of September 16 along Jollang-Rakap Road near the institute campus.\n\n4. Has law enforcement taken action against the attackers?\nYes, police have arrested the two individuals accused of carrying out the assault.\n\n5. What are the primary demands made by the students?\nThe students are demanding immediate CISF deployment, a nearby police outpost, and a joint faculty-student committee to oversee legal procedures.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/arunachal-pradesh/ftii-itanagar-men-chhatron-aura-shikshaka-para-hamale-ke-bada-anishchitakalina-haratala-suraksha-ki-manga-33462",
  "category": "Arunachal Pradesh",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-19",
  "tags": [
    "FTII Itanagar",
    "Arunachal Pradesh",
    "Dominic Sangma",
    "Student Protest",
    "CISF Deployment",
    "Campus Security"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}