New Delhi: Two days after a 21-year-old student attended a CJP protest in UP’s Prayagraj, his family members were allegedly picked up by the police. On Tuesday, when he walked into Civil Lines police station to find out why, they were released. However, the student himself was held back, and returned home only 24 hours later, his family has alleged.
Saif, who is completing his Bachelor’s degree in Prayagraj, was forcibly held by the police for merely taking photos and videos at the 25 July protest, his family claimed. He returned home around 4 pm Wednesday.
The family has not formally accused the police of any misconduct. In an X post Wednesday, police denied taking Saif into custody, adding that upon inquiring, it was found that he was at his home.
Saif’s cousin Sameer, who works as a labourer, told ThePrint: “This was his first protest, he was there with his college friends. He was merely recording photos and videos, like many others at the protest site. After the protest got over, he came home.”
On 27 July however, Sameer alleged, the police came knocking. “Four to five officers came home. They picked up Saif’s father, mother and younger brother as well…on 28 July, Saif surrendered before the police, and the family members were released…”
Sameer further claimed that the police have not informed the family what the allegations against Saif were. “We were told that based on footage, police found that Saif was at the protest, but he was not involved in any kind of vandalism. Some local cops told us that Saif will soon be released, but no official confirmation has been given,” he told ThePrint earlier Wednesday when his nephew had not yet returned home.
“Was he singled out because he is Muslim?” he asked.
On Wednesday morning, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) wrote about Saif in a post on X, demanding his release. “Photographing a peaceful protest is not a crime. Detaining a 21-year-old for hours without informing his family is not law enforcement, it is intimidation. We stand firmly with Saif Ali and his family. We demand his immediate release and full disclosure of his whereabouts to his parents.”
Photographing a peaceful protest is not a crime. Detaining a 21-year-old for hours without informing his family is not law enforcement, it is intimidation.
We stand firmly with Saif Ali and his family. We demand his immediate release and full disclosure of his whereabouts to his… https://t.co/WbggeyGycS
— Cockroach Janta Party – CJP (@Cockroachisback) July 29, 2026
Samajwadi Party MP from Kaushambi Pushpendra Saroj, who also posted about Saif on X, told ThePrint earlier Wednesday, “Saif has been detained wrongfully, and his family is awaiting answers as to why he was detained, when all he did was take photos.”
“This attitude of the Prayagraj Police is extremely concerning, dictatorial, and unjust. His only fault was that he was taking photos and videos during the CJP march/protest organised in Prayagraj,” he had written on X Tuesday night. “Even after Saif Ali surrendered, several hours have passed, but the police are not even informing his family about where he is being held. His parents are forced to wander from door to door and are extremely worried. Detaining any citizen in this manner without any information or legal process is a direct violation of human rights.”
DCP (City) Manish Kumar Shandilya had initially told ThePrint that on 25 July, “some miscreants damaged four-wheelers belonging to the general public and attacked women and others travelling in the vehicles under the guise of a student protest in the jurisdiction of the Civil Lines police station”.
“Based on the complaint submitted by the vehicle owners, cases were registered at the Civil Lines police station. Through videos circulated on social media, CCTV footage and other sources, 10 miscreants were identified, arrested and sent to jail. One of the arrested accused is also a history-sheeter,” he’d further said, adding that none among those arrested was a student.
Regarding the allegations made by Saif’s family, DCP Shandilya told ThePrint that the police are verifying the allegations. “We are looking into the matter,” he said.
However, later on Wednesday, the Ganganagar DCP wrote a reply to SP MP Saroj’s X post: “Upon inquiring about the individual, it was found that they are at their home. They have not been taken into custody by anyone and are safely at their home. Please do not spread rumours.”
When ThePrint contacted an individual close to the family, who said police asked Saif about the videos and photos he had recorded, saying it was part of the investigation. They also allegedly asked him about the protest, to which he had said he did not know the people there.
In a similar case, Junaid Malik, a ‘food volunteer’ at the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, was released Monday after his detention by the Delhi Police last week. He has filed a plea in the Supreme Court alleging violation of his right to personal liberty, and is seeking a judicial probe into his “illegal detention”.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)