Mumbai Police searched activist’s home for flying kites in Palestine solidarity, alleges group
· Scroll
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The Mumbai Police on Friday allegedly did not allow five activists to leave the home of one of them while it was searched allegedly for flying kites to express solidarity with Palestinian children.
The activists are associated with citizens’ group Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine and had participated in the global Gaza kite campaign held between September 11 and September 15.
A sixth activist was interrogated at the Bandra police station on Friday before being released in the evening.
The group alleged that persons in plainclothes claiming to be police officers arrived at the home of a volunteer and student, Harshada, at 3 pm.
Starting 5.30 pm, uniformed police personnel carried out searches “without any warrant and without furnishing any written notice or document”, the group alleged.
Police officers left the woman’s residence at 2.30 am on Saturday, Pooja, who is Harshada’s friend and a member of Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine told Scroll.
“More than 9 hours – and counting – for ‘searching’ a person’s place of residence without a warrant merely for flying kites in solidarity with Palestinian children!” the group had posted on Saturday.
The police made a list of things found at the residence and eventually filed a panchnama, Pooja said.
A panchnama is a legal document that records the observations, findings and...