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POLITICS

The letter alleged that in Muzaffarnagar district, subse-
quent to police brutality against the protestors, it was reported
that local residents were targeted on the intervening night of
December 20th and 21st, 2019 with the intent to terrorize
them and prevent further expression of their right to protest.
A 22-year-old bride named Ruqaiya Parveen who was beaten
up mercilessly by the police and receivedstitches on her head.
Her family has stated that her jewelry was also stolen.The
police entered and lathi charged the premises on which Maul-
ana Asad Raza Hussaini, a 75 years old cleric resides. Although
he had nothing to do with the protests, the Maulana was
assaulted without any cause or justification. He was then
reportedly taken to the police station where he was tortured.

he raised the case of BHU students who faced brutal
repression of peaceful protestors in Varanasi on the
S 19th of December, 2019 from the campus 12 students
— Raj Abhishek Singh, 23, Anant Shukla, 25, Neeraj Rai, 24,
Divakar Singh, 30, Vivek Mishra, 25, Rohan Kumar, 21, Chandan
Sagar, 22, Deepak Singh, 24, Dhananjay Tripathi, 32, Ayurveda
Ravindra Bharti, 25, were arrested despite a peaceful protest
on December 19, 2019. Along with others, social activist cou-
ple Ekta and Ravi Shekhar were arrested for protesting in the
Beniya Bagh area and have been kept away from their breast-
fed one-year-old child since.
“An audio clip purportedly in the voice of the Superinten-
dent of police of Bijnor, Sanjeev Tyagi, is in circulation since the
ing 20th of December 2019 whereas the city of Vara- 21st December, 2019 in which he is directing his subordinates
nasi has witnessed a particularly tragic death. The police to ‘break the hands and legs’ of the protestors.”
conducted a brutal Lathi-charge on a peaceful protest. “The role of the police in society is to maintain law and
This resulted in a stampede in which an eight year-old order, not to contravene the law themselves,” commented
child was crushed to death on the 20th of December 2019. Priyanka expressing anguish over such oppressive role of the
Another child, Mohammad Tanvir has also been severely state police.
injured. One person named Mohammad Vakil was killed in High drama was witnessed in state capital during the visit of
firing at Lucknow on the 19th of December 2019. While the congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on December 30, 2019, who
police claimed that they had not shot him, press reports cite has started reaching to masses at the grassroots as a part of
witnesses to state that he was, in fact, shot by the police, the long drawn strategy eyeing on 2022 state assembly elections.
letter alleged. Despite UP police trying to stop her, block her car, manhandle
Combating Priyanka alleged that in Rampur, 24-year- her (police tried to catch her collar), Priyanka wasnot deterred.
old Faiz Ahmed was killed on the 20th Of December, 2019. She walked almost 4kms to meet the family of former IPS
His family reports that he was shot in the neck by the police. officer S R Darapuri who become one of the victims of police
There have been three deaths during the protests in Kanpur action. Darapuri had unblemished track of record oflaw abid-
city on December 20 and 21, 2019. The case of daily wage la- ingpolice officer throughout his career.
bourer, Raees has received considerable public attention. He She also went to console two minor child aged 16 and 10
was shot in the stomach revealing a clear intention on the part years of Smt. Sadaf Jafar who are currently living all alone in
of the assailant, to cause grievous injury or death. Aftab and her flat after the Lucknow police suddenly arrested her with-
Saif, two more victims of police action, have died in similar out her fault afterbrutally assaulted by police officers while
circumstances. in custody and implicated in 18 offences including attempt to
The Congress party delegation consist of veteran congress murder. The Yogi administration has virtually shut the voices
leader Pramod Tiwari, P.L. Punia, state president Ajay Kumar of dissent on CAA and NRC by brazen use police force and
Lallu, CLP leader AradhnaMisra Mona, former IAS officer Anis putting the protestors behind the bars. It may give him provi-
Ansari, Pramod Krishnam, NaseemuddinSiddiquiand others sional reprieve but the scars of mistrust would take a long time
met the governor to hand over Priyanka Gandhi’s letter on to die down.
30th December. She also cited cases of unlawful conduct of
the Police during CAA/NRC protests in the state. LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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