Kolkata: A Special Investigation Team has filed a chargesheet against four women police personnel, including Sathi Barik, former officer-in charge of Kotwali Women’s Police Station in West Midnapore, on charges of assaulting a student in March 2025.Court sources said the probe started after an order from Calcutta High Court. “The SIT found evidence that the student was hit in custody. However, the other charge of being tortured with candle wax did not hold ground,” said a source.During the previous govt’s tenure, the SIT had twice sought sanction to submit the chargesheet against the accused officers, but approval was allegedly not granted. After the new govt assumed office, the SIT applied again for permission, which was finally granted on July 27.A chargesheet was then submitted against Sathi Barik, a sub-inspector, and three constables under Sections 115(2), 351(3) and 34 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.On March 5, 2025, members of several Left-leaning student groups staged a protest in Midnapore against unrest at Jadavpur University. It was alleged that women students participating in the protest were taken to the police station and subjected to physical and psychological abuse. A particularly serious accusation claimed that they were burned with candles.After the incident, one of the students approached Calcutta HC. After examining the credibility of the allegations and reviewing the station’s CCTV footage, the court ordered the formation of an SIT and directed that an FIR be registered.
