AIDSO demanded for punishment of all the guilty police officers, including the OC of Midnapore Kotwali women’s police station involved in the brutal atrocities committed in police custody of students, who supported the college-university student strike.
The All India Democratic Students Organisation held a press conference today to condemn the torture on its members. The West Midnapore (North) organizational district secretary Tanushree Bez, along with Susrita Soren, Ranushree Bez and Varnali Nayak were present at the meet.
The state president of the organisation, Manishankar Patnaik, said, “On 1 March, in protest against the incident of the state education minister’s car running over the chest of a protesting student at Jadavpur University, a student strike was held on 3 March. During picketing at Vidyasagar University, the police arrested the organisers. A female organiser was punched on the chest and made her unconscious. One of the organisers was arrested in an injured state. No medical treatment was provided after the arrest. The women were taken to the Midnapore Women’s Kotwali police station. While making the women organisers sign the arrest memo, wax from a burning candle was poured on their hands and feet. They played Bollywood songs during torture. We condemn this behaviour of the police administration and demand punishment for all the police officers.”
Ranushree Bez, one of the detainees, said, “I have never come across such torture before. They warned as of discontinuing such protests and concentrate on getting a job. They even asked to warn our fellow colleagues not to be part of protests in future.”