JNU teachers, scholars protest against arrest of naxal suspect
28 Aug 2013 4:35 AM IST
Various teachers and students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) expressed their support and protested in favour of Hem Mishra, a student of the university who was arrested along with two others from a bus station in Aheri division of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on Friday.
According to officials of Mumbai police ‘Mishra (30), Pandu Pora Narote (27) and Mahesh Tirki (24) of Morewada village in Etapalli, were roaming around in Aheri area 'suspiciously' when they were arrested.
All three arrested accused were produced before a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Aheri and were sent to ten days police custody’. The police press note also mentioned that police recovered ‘a microchip and some secret Naxal documents from them’. The accused have accepted that they were going to give the documents to senior Naxal leader Narmada Akka. Pandu Narote and Mahesh Tirki also accepted that both of them were regular couriers of Narmada Akka and other senior Naxal leaders in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh’.
Meanwhile, Bano Jyotsna, who is pursuing a P.hd in Sociology from JNU alleged that the cops are trying to frame Mishra with bogus charges. ‘Hem has a played a major role in exposing as well as countering the anti-people designs of the state through songs, poetry, plays and street theatres in the capacity of a cultural activist lending his voice to that of the oppressed.
'We strongly condemn this witch-hunt of activists,’ Jyotsna said, adding, ‘His arrest is in part of the ongoing clamp down on democratic rights activists.’
Jyotsna alleged that 'Police officials are not allowing his lawyer to meet him, and till his lawyer meets him we will not accept any story given by the police because they are known for arresting innocent people and planting fake charges on them.'
Another student said, ‘Hem is well known among the political circles in Delhi and Uttarakhand as a student and cultural activist. He has been struggling with certain problems in his left hand. He has undergone repeated surgery and the ensuing complications left him in agonising pain.' Early this week he had left from Delhi for medical reason and was picked up by the Maharashtra police while on his way to the hospital'.
According to officials of Mumbai police ‘Mishra (30), Pandu Pora Narote (27) and Mahesh Tirki (24) of Morewada village in Etapalli, were roaming around in Aheri area 'suspiciously' when they were arrested.
All three arrested accused were produced before a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Aheri and were sent to ten days police custody’. The police press note also mentioned that police recovered ‘a microchip and some secret Naxal documents from them’. The accused have accepted that they were going to give the documents to senior Naxal leader Narmada Akka. Pandu Narote and Mahesh Tirki also accepted that both of them were regular couriers of Narmada Akka and other senior Naxal leaders in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh’.
Meanwhile, Bano Jyotsna, who is pursuing a P.hd in Sociology from JNU alleged that the cops are trying to frame Mishra with bogus charges. ‘Hem has a played a major role in exposing as well as countering the anti-people designs of the state through songs, poetry, plays and street theatres in the capacity of a cultural activist lending his voice to that of the oppressed.
'We strongly condemn this witch-hunt of activists,’ Jyotsna said, adding, ‘His arrest is in part of the ongoing clamp down on democratic rights activists.’
Jyotsna alleged that 'Police officials are not allowing his lawyer to meet him, and till his lawyer meets him we will not accept any story given by the police because they are known for arresting innocent people and planting fake charges on them.'
Another student said, ‘Hem is well known among the political circles in Delhi and Uttarakhand as a student and cultural activist. He has been struggling with certain problems in his left hand. He has undergone repeated surgery and the ensuing complications left him in agonising pain.' Early this week he had left from Delhi for medical reason and was picked up by the Maharashtra police while on his way to the hospital'.
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