Students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, West Bengal observed a protest in the campus, gheraoing the director, on Monday, November 4. They sought explanation on the sudden resignation of professor Putul Mahmood, a National Award winning filmmaker, at a time an investigation on a case of sexual harassment is being conducted by the Internal Committee in the institute. Putul, as part of the IC in earlier years, had submitted reports that found certain professors guilty and resulted in their expulsion. The Students Union of the SRFTI believed that Putul was compelled to resign as a warning to the current IC, who are dealing with a case of sexual harassment against a top official of the Institute.

“In the earlier case, three professors of the SRFTI were implicated and found guilty. In the present case, the person, holding a very powerful position, is accused by a woman who was a former student as well as faculty member of the institute. Last week, the IC submitted a preliminary report on their investigation to the governing council and now it is up to them to order a second round of enquiry for the final report. At this time, the resignation of Professor Putul – when she has one and a half years left for her retirement – appears forced and like a message to the current IC, to tell them that this will be the repercussion for filing such reports,” says Suba, president of the Student Union.

The IC had recommended that the top official should be absent from the campus during the investigation following which the institute ordered a transfer. However, he approached the Kolkata High Court and got the transfer quashed, adds Suba. 

Afterward, he was asked by the governing council not to be present in the campus but still serve from outside while the investigation went on. Two police cases have been filed by the accused and the complainant against each other after an undesirable incident took place in the guest house of the campus earlier this year. 

The SRFTI is an autonomous institute that comes under the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Actor and Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi is the chairperson of the institute, and leads the Governing Council.

Serious allegations of sexual harassment had come up in the SRFTI years before, when a student spoke out about the abuse she faced from some professors as well as a student.