FTII Itanagar students suspend classes indefinitely after assault on students, faculty

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Itanagar suspended all classes indefinitely on September 19, 2026, following an alleged assault that left several students and a National Award-winning faculty member injured. The incident began on September 17, 2026, when a group of local youths confronted three students working on an academic assignment near the campus on Jollang-Rakap Road.

The altercation escalated when one of the youths allegedly struck a student with a stick, and FTII head Dominic Sangma intervened, also sustaining injuries. A second student was allegedly hit on the head with a bamboo stick. FTII's Students Council alleged that security personnel and officials who attempted to intervene were verbally abused and threatened.

The students claimed they felt unsafe due to repeated threats, unauthorized campus entry, and intimidation. They also expressed concern over the delay in CISF personnel deployment, for which assurances were given in May 2025 but the process has been stalled for over 16 months due to a lack of accommodation facilities. The students demanded strengthened campus security, including CISF deployment and a nearby police outpost, as well as a joint faculty-student committee to monitor legal proceedings and a permanent liaison committee to improve communication and maintain harmony between the institute and locals.