The Special cell of Delhi police has arrested two women named Natasha and Devangna in the North-east Delhi riots case. The two women belong to the far-left activist group Pinjra tod, according to police.
Just in: Two women named Natasha and Devangna arrested in the north east Delhi riots case. They are from a group called Pinjda tod, police say.
— Raj Shekhar Jha (@rajshekharTOI) May 23, 2020
It was found that on February 22 evening Pinjra Tod members had mobilised local residents for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and directed them to gather at Jaffrabad metro station. “Anti-CAA protesters gathered at the metro station on February 22 night at 10 p.m. We thought they would gather at the old site at Seelampur service lane, which is around a kilometre away,” sources said.
The Delhi police had earlier mentioned that they believe some external force is provocating riots. They also mentioned that the ‘Pinjra tod’ group can be that external factor. The police also believe that the Pinjra Tod activists were not only involved in their capacity of expressing solidarity with the protesting women but were instrumental in the escalation of the protests.
Pinjra Tod has been accused of inciting riots
Some citizens of Seelampur, Jafrabad, and Trans-Yamuna had accused Pinjra Tod, a far-left women rights initiative, and other elite civil society groups of inciting riots in the national capital.
Pinjra Tod claims to be an autonomous collective of women students fighting for a just, accessible, non-discriminatory University and affordable accommodation and has been involved in numerous protests and campaigns of a far-left nature.
Delhi Police sent notice to Pinjra tod
Earlier, Delhi Police special cell had issued notice to 50 members of the Jamia coordination committee, former office bearers of Congress’ student’s union, National Student union of India, far left ‘activist’ group Pinjra Tod for their alleged connection with rioting and criminal conspiracy pertaining to anti-Hindu riots in north-east Delhi that had claimed the lives of 53 people and had left, over 400 injured.
Arrests made in Anti-CAA riots case
Recently, Special Cell of Delhi Police has nabbed the Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for purportedly being a part of a larger conspiracy behind the February riots in northeast Delhi.
Prior to that, Safoora Zargar, a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee, was arrested in connection with her alleged involvement in the anti-CAA riots. Her arrest has led to a barrage of propaganda accusing the Delhi Police of ‘anti-Muslim’ bias.
Meeran Haider, also a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee, was arrested by Delhi Police. He was arrested on the 2nd of April in connection with rioting and criminal conspiracy pertaining to anti-Hindu riots in north-east Delhi.
