CN Desk: Police action against three social media content creators in West Bengal over posts criticizing the BJP-led government and its handling of a stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja event that killed 19 people has raised concerns over the use of criminal laws to silence online criticism.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the three creators, Akash Sarkar, Surajit Shee and Srimoyee Chakraborty, faced arrest or detention over their social media posts. While Sarkar was granted bail on October 29 after three days in police custody and Chakraborty was released on a personal bond on October 26, Shee was initially lodged in Medinipur Central Jail before being remanded to police custody until November 6, Alt News reported.

The allegations against the three include criminal defamation, statements allegedly threatening national integration, public mischief and attempts to outrage religious sentiments. Police invoked various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the cases.

Shee, a resident of Dantan in West Midnapore district, runs the Facebook page “Core Bangla-Janakantha”, which has more than 252,000 followers. His posts cover social, political and scientific issues. Two recent posts praised the state government’s ban on DJs and loudspeakers during processions and questioned its handling of the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede.

In an October 18 post, Shee shared a video, later restricted in India, questioning the official account of the stampede and accusing the government of misusing its authority to silence ordinary citizens. He also criticised the removal of posts that challenged the authorities.

Sarkar was arrested from his home in Nagerbazar on October 25 and remanded to three days of police custody by a Barrackpore court the following day. He was granted bail on October 29.

His posts had criticised the government’s handling of the stampede and questioned the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s nephew, whom he described as the chief patron of Chorbagan Sarbojonin, the Durga Puja committee where the tragedy occurred. Sarkar had called on him to take responsibility for the deaths.

The FIR against Sarkar followed a complaint by a person identified as Soumen Das, who alleged that he had published false, defamatory, religiously inflammatory and provocative content about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Adhikari.

Chakraborty was detained on October 26 and taken to Bidhannagar East police station. She announced her detention on Facebook and vowed to continue her fight. She was released later that day on a personal bond of Rs 2,000.

Her Facebook posts include criticism of the BJP-led governments at the state and central levels, as well as expressions of support for the Left. She had also criticised the government’s handling of the stampede. On October 21, she shared a video of the chief minister announcing that only followers of Sanatana Dharma would participate in the Durga idol immersion procession.

The three cases come amid other instances of police action over online criticism of Adhikari. In August 2026, Trinamool Congress leader Debashis De was arrested in Siliguri over allegedly objectionable social media posts about the chief minister. Around October 24, a man from Bandel in Hooghly district was reportedly arrested over remarks allegedly made against Adhikari during a Facebook Live session.

Earlier, in July, two deputy commissioners of Kolkata Police were suspended over old social media remarks about Adhikari dating from his tenure as Leader of the Opposition.