Kolkata Police apprehended a Pune law student, Sharmistha Panoli, in Gurugram on Friday night for reportedly making derogatory comments in response to a post about Operation Sindoor. She will stay in judicial custody until June 13.
Despite the video being deleted afterward, police sources indicated that Panoli had posted it on Instagram, featuring ‘disrespectful and derogatory comments’ aimed at a specific religion.
FIR registered against Sharmishta by Kolkata Police
The video became widely popular, inciting anger and resulting in a police report being lodged at a station in Kolkata. Subsequently, Kolkata Police filed an FIR against her. Following her arrest, Panoli appeared in Alipore Court in Kolkata on Saturday.
“The case pertains to an Instagram video by a woman named Sharmistha Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of members of a particular community,” a senior police officer said.
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Officials stated that multiple efforts to serve a legal notice to Panoli were unsuccessful because she and her family reportedly fled. Subsequently, a court released an arrest warrant, which led to her being apprehended in Gurugram.
After the backlash, Panoli issued an unreserved apology on social media and removed her videos and posts.
She wrote on X, “I do hereby tender my unconditional apology. Whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody, so if anybody is hurt I’m sorry for the same. I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again, please accept my apologies.”
