Kolkata Police have arrested a second-year BCom student, Kirti Sharma, for a social media post that allegedly incited violence against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The arrest follows a provocative post by Sharma, who operated under the Instagram handle “kirtisocial,” in which he allegedly encouraged others to assassinate the Chief Minister in a manner reminiscent of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The police also claim that Sharma’s posts included the identity and photograph of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The police statement noted that Sharma’s Instagram stories contained offensive comments and life threats against the Chief Minister, which were deemed highly provocative and potentially inciting social unrest.
The arrest comes amidst a broader crackdown by Kolkata Police on social media activity related to the rape and murder case. The police have issued summons to various individuals, including Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who had publicly called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to question the Kolkata police commissioner. Summonses were also issued to former BJP MP Locket Chatterjee and two prominent doctors for allegedly spreading rumors and disclosing the victim’s identity.
Sources By Agencies