8 activists jailed, 4 of them released later

Noida: Eight labour activists, including three women, were reportedly taken into custody by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday, April 11.

Civil society groups have claimed that the detention was illegal and noted that while four individuals have been released, the other four remain in jail for a 15-day period by a court order.

The activists from Mazdoor Bigul organisation were part of the citywide workers’ strike in the Noida Industrial Area over wage issues. They were reportedly picked up from the Botanical Garden Metro Station.

According to Maktoob Media, which received videos of police officers dragging the activists, the Deputy Commissioner of Police staunchly refuted the allegations. “The office does not have any knowledge about this. You call the police stations,” an officer on the line said.

Other members of the Mazdoor Bigul have claimed that the detained activists were targeted and later arrested.

Subsequently, they claimed that four additional people, including two lawyers, were taken into custody illegally.

“Police have now abducted lawyers Prateek Kumar and Mohd Tanveer Ali, who were trying to help the women activists earlier abducted by the UP Police. They were abducted from Surajpur court,” the organisation alleged.

Another activist told Maktoob Media, “They have been telling us different things since last night. We have been standing outside the Noida Phase 2 police station since last night and are not sure what is happening. We are scared for our comrades.”

It has been more than 12 hours since four of their group members were apprehended and taken to a discreet location. Activists present at the scene reported that over 50 workers and family members went to the Noida Phase 2 police station to ask where the missing activists were being held.

“They were greeted with barricades and inattention as the UP Police did not reveal the location of the missing activists even after providing them with a missing complaint and details of the vehicle in which they were taken away,” the activists said.