Kolkata Police Arrests Law Student Over Controversial Social Media Posts

A 22-year-old law student, Sharmishtha Panoli, was arrested by Kolkata Police in Gurugram for her social media posts regarding Operation Sindoor, which reportedly offended religious sentiments. After making controversial comments on Instagram, she deleted the post and later apologized on X. Following her arrest, she was presented in court and is set to be taken to Kolkata. The case against her includes serious charges related to inciting public disorder and promoting enmity between groups. This incident raises questions about the implications of social media expressions and their legal consequences.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 31, 2025, 18:17 IST

Arrest of Law Student for Social Media Activity

A 22-year-old law student was apprehended by Kolkata Police in Gurugram on Friday due to social media posts regarding Operation Sindoor, which were claimed to have offended religious sentiments, according to reports.

The individual, Sharmishtha Panoli, is currently in her fourth year of business and law studies at a university in Pune. She allegedly made the controversial remarks on Instagram but later removed the post and expressed regret on X.

Following her arrest, Panoli was presented in a Gurugram court and is set to be transported to Kolkata under a transit remand, as stated by officials.

A complaint against her was lodged at the Garden Reach Police Station in Kolkata on May 15.

Authorities indicated that multiple attempts were made to deliver a legal notice to Panoli, but both she and her family were difficult to locate. After these attempts were unsuccessful, a court issued an arrest warrant, leading to her capture in Gurugram.

The first information report against Panoli includes charges related to inciting enmity between groups, malicious acts intended to offend religious feelings, and statements that could provoke public disorder.