Anti-CAA protests: Four women injured in lathicharge at Deonar

Protesters were briefly lathi-charged by Deonar police on Sunday

Protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Deonar on Sunday and Monday faced lathicharge and detentions by the Mumbai police. Four women were injured in the 'light force' used by the police on Sunday.

The anti-CAA platform, Hum Bharat Ke Log, has called for an all-party meet on Tuesday afternoon and is claiming of gathering 15,000 protestors at Shivaji Nagar's Ambedkar Garden.

Protests were held at the service road near the Govandi signal in Shivaji Nagar on Sunday between 6 pm and 8 pm in solidarity with the Mumbai Bagh protest. Mumbai police resorted to brief lathicharge when some of the crowd spilled on to the Mankhurd-Ghatkopar Link Road. Five women were detained and later released. "Women were trying to occupy the road. We had to briefly use light force to deter them," said an officer from Deonar police station.

Meanwhile, Shefali Saini, a member of the Mankhurd-Govandi-Shivaji Nagar Sangharsh Samiti said, "We were protesting peacefully on the service road and yet cops took us to the police station. Four women were injured in the lathicharge. A 14-year-old was slapped as well. Later, we tried to protest near Ambedkar Garden but permission was denied by police."

Ulfat Choudhary

The injured women have been identified as Ulfat Choudhary, Dr. Pooja Chinchole, Farah Khan, and Rafikun Shah.

Zonal Dputy Commissioner of Police Shashi Kumar Meena said, "We are not aware of any allegations, I would not comment on anything right now."

On Monday morning, protests were staged in the jurisdiction of Shivaji Nagar police station. Fifty protestors gathered near the Shahu garden, among whom seven tried to stage a sit-in in the garden. They were immediately removed by Shivaji Nagar police and detained.

Activist Bilal Khan, involved in the organising of Tuesday's meet, claimed 15,000 people are expected to attend it.

Organisers have agreed to not hold demonstrations and to leave before 6 pm to avoid chaos on the Mankhurd-Ghatkopar Link Road.

Leaders from the Congress, the NCP, and the Samajwadi Party are expected to attend the meeting.

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