New Delhi: The Delhi Police Saturday arrested two members of Pinjra Tod, a women’s rights collective, in connection with the anti-CAA protest in Jafrabad area in February, PTI reported. DCP (Northeast) Ved Prakash Surya confirmed the arrests.
The two activists, Devangana Kalita (30) and Natasha Narwal (32), are students of JNU and were arrested from their homes, a Pinjra Tod member said.
A group of women staged a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) outside the Jafrabad metro station in February. This prompted a pro-CAA rally by BJP’s Kapil Misra on 23 February. Misra had given a three-day ultimatum to clear the protest. A day later, riots broke out in Northeast Delhi, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.
Quoting a senior officer, a report in The Indian Express said, “An FIR regarding the Jafrabad sit-in protest had been registered earlier. The women have been arrested under IPC sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).”
Police said officers from the New Delhi Range of Special Cell were questioning Narwal when the local police from Jafrabad station came and arrested her.
In a statement, Pinjra Tod said, “They were arrested from their homes in an FIR registered by the Jafrabad police station, after an interrogation by the Special Cell shortly before officials from PS Jafrabad arrested them. They are currently at Jaffrabad Police Station. The police did not give reasons to their family members for their arrest.”
The latest police action follows the arrest of Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Umar Khalid and Meeran Haider, all students of Jamia Millia Islamia, in connection with the Northeast Delhi riots. All have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
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