Sreyashi Dey, a journalist with The Print, deleted her X account after she posted a snapshot of the alleged petition filed by the family of the Kolkata doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Her retreat underscores the mounting pressure on critics of the Mamata Banerjee government as Kolkata Police’s intimidation silences dissent.
In her X post, Dey shared details saying that the doctors found 150 mg of semen in the victim’s body.
“The presence of 150 mg of semen in the hymen, a quantity suggesting the involvement of more than one individual, further corroborated the suspicion of gang rape.”
A News 18 report quoting forensic experts noted that the 150 mg mentioned in the autopsy report is the weight of the inner genitalia or the uterus and not that of any fluid.
Sreyashi Dey deleted her X account, reportedly fearing action from the Kolkata Police, sending notices and intimidating voices who speak about the incident on social media.
According to BJP leader Amit Malviya, Kolkata Police had earlier threatened her for reporting on the vandalism in the hospital.
Press freedom is being throttled in West Bengal.
The Print journalist @SreyashiDey, formerly with Times Now, forced to delete her X account after she posted on the petition filed by the victim’s family before the Kolkata High Court.
Earlier, Kolkata Police had threaten her for… pic.twitter.com/LVM7cvAviJ
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 16, 2024
Many on social media slammed the TMC government and Mamata Banerjee, saying, “This is what dictatorship looks like”.
Mahua Moitra brazenly denied this. Mamata Banerjee’s police went after the journalist.
‘Signs of fascism’ are lived experiences, not elocution contest performances. pic.twitter.com/k7BKar4sU3— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) August 16, 2024
This What Real Tanasahi Look Like
The @ThePrintIndia Journalist Sreyashi Dey deleted her account after receiving threats from Kolkata Police.
This is the Same Sreyashi Dey Who freely write against @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/eEZtAWv6Xh
— Sangharsh Lokhande (@Maratha__Sardar) August 16, 2024
TMC using police to suppress dissent
The shadow of fear cast by TMC-controlled Kolkata Police’s intimidation tactics is growing darker. It envelops not just Sreyashi Dey but also prominent figures like author Shefali Vaidya and journalist Barkha Dutt.
Vaidya received a notice from Kolkata Police for criticising the TMC government’s handling of the horrific incident. In an X post, she questioned the government’s lack of action in ensuring justice. The post had an image card that alleged the involvement of TMC ministers’ sons in the crime. Police demanded she delete the post, threatening strict legal action.
Vaidya, who is not a member of any political party, deleted the post and expressed fear of harassment. She also condemned the WB government for using police power to curb the free speech of private citizens.
Similarly, when Dutt posted on X that the hospital’s emergency room was vandalized, Kolkata Police warned her against spreading false information. The police said from their X handle that the crime occurred in the seminar room, which remained intact.
They threatened legal action against Dutt, even though she specifically mentioned the emergency room, not the seminar room.
Dutt later subtly adjusted her narrative to deflect the threat. While maintaining a confident front, she claimed she had referred to the entire hospital as the crime scene, not just the emergency room.
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