The police on Wednesday rejected the allegations of torture levelled by woman student protesters at Vidyasagar University in Paschim Medinipur, saying the medical reports show otherwise.

A day ago, the High Court had directed Inspector General (IG) Muralidhar Sharma to investigate allegations of custodial torture of Left-leaning female student activists at a women’s police station in the district and submit a report by March 25. The women activists were protesting over the incident on JU campus.

During the hearing of a petition filed by DSO activist Sushrita Soren, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh Wednesday observed that the State should satisfy the court as to why an order should not be passed. The court raised concerns about how detained women were released at 2 am. “Do you have records to show how you asked the girls or ladies to leave the police station? Why did you ask them to leave at night?… This is not a reasonable period of time to release them,” Justice Ghosh said.

Advocate General Kishore Dutta, representing the police, said the women protesters were accompanied by political leaders and therefore they left the police station at 2 am.   Rejecting charges of torture, use of abusive language, and caste slurs by police against detained women protesters, Advocate General Dutta told the court: “It is said that they became unconscious. But that took place during the agitation, and not at the police station… They alleged they were beaten by cane, molten wax was poured on their hands, leading to burn injuries. The petitioner has alleged severe humiliation due to her caste and that the state medical hospital refused to treat her… But X-ray says no bone injury was found. What is alleged to have happened at the police station is not supported by the medical report.”

“…The court should not proceed with the allegations of the petitioner only…,” the government’s counsel said.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 19.