Kangana Ranaut says Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli should be released immediately: ‘No need to bully or harass’

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has demanded the swift release of Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli, taken into custody by the Kolkata Police in Haryana’s Gurugram on Friday evening. On Saturday, Kangana posted on her Instagram Stories to express that she recognizes the ‘unpleasant’ language she employed in the contentious video, but that does not justify any additional harassment towards her.

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Kangana wrote, “I agree that Sharmistha used some unpleasant words for her expression but such words most youngsters use these days, she apologised for her statements and that should be enough, no need to bully or harass her further, she should be released immediately.”

Sharmishta Panoli, a student at Pune’s Law University, created a provocative video on social media where she called out various Hindi film stars for their silence regarding Operation Sindoor. Her post received significant criticism, leading Panoli to remove the video from her account and apologize.

By that time, the Kolkata Police had already filed a complaint against her. Legal notifications were likewise prepared and dispatched to her and her relatives. On Friday night, Kolkata Police officials arrested her in Gurugram.

Strains between India and Pakistan have notably increased after the April 22 terrorist strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals. The event has triggered a diplomatic turmoil. Earlier this month, the Indian Armed Forces initiated Operation Sindoor, a focused strike mission aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack. Nonetheless, normalcy is slowly returning after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.