Kolkata Police arrests Instagram influencer over 'communal' remarks
What's the story
Kolkata Police on Friday arrested Instagram influencer Sharmishtha Panoli from Gurugram for allegedly making communal remarks in a video.
The arrest came after a court issued a warrant against her.
The law student at a university in Pune had posted the controversial video on May 14, where she accused Bollywood actors of not speaking out against 'Operation Sindoor' and made offensive comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
Public reaction
Video sparks backlash, influencer deletes it and apologizes
The video soon went viral and drew widespread criticism, with many users sending her death and rape threats.
In response to the backlash, Panoli deleted the video and issued a public apology on X.
She clarified that her comments were in reaction to threats from "Radical Pakistani terrorists" and said, "Mere liye mera desh pehle aata hai" (My country comes first for me).
Political backlash
Influencer's arrest sparks political controversy
The police said they had made several attempts to serve notice to Panoli, but she deliberately stayed away. When these attempts failed, a court issued an arrest warrant, and she was arrested in Gurugram.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari slammed the Trinamool Congress for her arrest, accusing them of "appeasement politics."
He drew comparisons with cases where no action was taken against Trinamool leaders for derogatory comments about Hindu deities.
Official statement
Kolkata Police defends arrest, urges against spreading misinformation
The Kolkata Police defended their action, saying all legal procedures were followed and Panoli was found absconding during attempts to serve notice.
Meanwhile, Adhikari said, "FIRs were filed against (Trinamool MP) Mahua Moitra after she made derogatory comments about Goddess Kali. Was any action taken? What did their MP, Saayoni Ghosh, post about Mahadev (Lord Shiva)? Was any action taken? There have been so many FIRs against Firhad Hakim, but there has been no action."