In a scathing rebuke, the Kolkata High Court on Wednesday sharply criticized the police's role in the Jadavpur University incident, following a case filed by students. On the same day, the student organization AIDSO, affiliated with SUCI, raised a series of explosive allegations against the police, amplifying the growing unrest. Adding fuel to the fire, three former students of Vidyasagar University leveled shocking accusations against the Medinipur Women’s Police Station, alleging severe torture. The backdrop to this escalating tension stems from a student strike called by the CPM-affiliated SFI across all universities in West Bengal on Monday, protesting an incident where a Jadavpur University student was injured after being hit by the Education Minister’s car. AIDSO claims that several former Vidyasagar University students, who supported SFI’s strike and took to the streets, were forcibly detained by police long before reaching the campus.
AIDSO’s Damning Allegations
AIDSO’s accusations paint a grim picture of police brutality. According to the organization, protesters were dragged into police stations and subjected to horrific treatment. Sushrita Soren, an AIDSO supporter and former Vidyasagar University student, recounted a chilling ordeal: “While I was writing my name and details, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) said, ‘Bring a candle.’ They lit the candle and poured the burning wax onto my hands and various parts of my feet, scalding me. The marks are still visible on my hands. They kept beating me like this. The OC threatened, ‘Our station has vast areas where we could kill you, bury you, and no one would ever find out.’ This is how they intimidated us.”
AIDSO further alleged that the police deliberately took detainees to areas outside CCTV surveillance to carry out their abuses unchecked. Sushrita elaborated, “They took me to a room beyond the CCTV’s reach. There, they propositioned me, saying, ‘Admit your mistake for what you’ve done and apologize.’ We had gone there peacefully. We didn’t attack any police officer or lay a hand on them. Nor did we force any student to skip classes or commit any wrongdoing. Why should we apologize?”
Context and Condemnation
The Kolkata High Court’s criticism comes amid mounting evidence of police overreach. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh reportedly directed that an FIR be filed immediately based on the injured student’s complaint, signaling the judiciary’s dissatisfaction with the police’s handling of the Jadavpur case. Meanwhile, AIDSO’s allegations extend beyond Jadavpur, implicating the Medinipur Women’s Police Station in a pattern of abuse against student activists. The claims of torture—ranging from physical assault with burning wax to psychological threats of murder and disappearance—have sparked outrage among left-leaning student groups and civil society.
SFI’s strike, initially a response to the Jadavpur incident, has now morphed into a broader condemnation of police brutality across the state. AIDSO’s vocal support for the strike and its subsequent accusations suggest a coordinated pushback by left student organizations against what they perceive as systemic repression. The allegations of torture outside CCTV coverage raise serious questions about accountability and the state’s mechanisms for monitoring law enforcement.
Critical Analysis
The police’s alleged actions, if substantiated, represent a grave violation of human rights and democratic principles. Pouring hot wax on detainees and issuing death threats are not only illegal but also indicative of a deeper culture of impunity within certain police units. The High Court’s intervention underscores the judiciary’s role as a check on such excesses, yet the persistence of these allegations points to a failure of institutional reform. The claim of abuses occurring beyond CCTV surveillance is particularly damning, suggesting premeditated efforts to evade oversight—a tactic that undermines public trust in the police.
For left student activists, this is more than an isolated incident; it’s a symbol of their broader struggle against state authority. Organizations like AIDSO and SFI have long positioned themselves as defenders of student rights, often clashing with police during protests. However, the specificity of Sushrita’s testimony—burning wax, visible scars, and explicit threats—lends credibility to their narrative, demanding a thorough investigation. The police’s silence or denial in the face of such detailed accusations will only fuel further criticism.
Conclusion
The Kolkata High Court’s condemnation, coupled with AIDSO’s harrowing allegations, has brought the issue of police torture against student activists into sharp focus. As the Jadavpur incident reverberates across West Bengal’s academic institutions, the spotlight is firmly on the police’s conduct. Whether these claims lead to accountability or get buried under bureaucratic inaction remains to be seen. For now, the voices of Sushrita Soren and her peers serve as a stark reminder of the high stakes in this clash between student activism and state power. The call for justice is loud, but the path to it remains fraught with challenges.
