Amid reports of mass detainment of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters in Uttar Pradesh, the arrest of UP Congress media spokesperson and a former teacher Sadaf Jafar has attracted attention for the manner in which she was picked up and then allegedly beaten by the Police, reports The Quint.
UP capital Lucknow witnessed huge rallies against CAA on Thursday, 19 December. Jafar who was also part of one such rally went live on Facebook when some miscreants pelted stones at the local police at city's Parivartan Chowk.
In fact, she was live on video even when the police arrested her. In one of the videos, she can be seen asking the police why there were complicit and not acting against those being unruly and that the stone pelting incident is a staged one.
“Why are you not stopping them When there is violence, then you’re standing and watching the show. What’s the use of the helmet Why aren’t you doing anything” she can be heard saying.
In the next video, as she is walking by, a police personnel arrests her as she is heard saying, “Why are you arresting me Why didn’t you arrest the people who were pelting stones”
Following the arrest, her friends and family were not aware of her whereabouts which led to them taking to the social media.
'Brutally Beaten, Kicked in the Belly' Speaking to The Quint, Sadaf’s niece Ramsha said, She has been shifted to Lucknow jail now. She was subjected to severe police brutality.
Ramsha also pointed out that her aunt has been booked on 14 charges that include ‘sabotage,’ ‘attempt to murder,’ and ‘possession of explosives.’
Jafar's sister Shabana stated, she has been beaten with a baton on her legs and hands. The police also kicked her on the belly, following which she had internal bleeding.
The family stated that was on her menstruation cycle too, which they suspect started only after was beaten and kicked in the belly.
Ramsha added that a group of lawyers called the Rihai Manch have been helping her pursue the case. We'll be filing a bail plea at the earliest, thankfully, a lot of people are helping us. It’s like the whole city is at it, she said.