150 at Kalyan stir asked to vacate site

Around 20 people gathered at Ambedkar Udyan in Kalyan on Saturday morning to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens

Around 20 people gathered at Ambedkar Udyan in Kalyan on Saturday morning to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR). By evening, the crowd had grown to 150 and the police dispersed the protest after issuing a notice to the protesters under section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.

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“Despite not having proper permissions, we allowed them to protest all day. As the crowd started increasing, it would cause inconvenience for commuters as the venue is near the [train] station. We asked them to move out. For gathering without permission, we have filed section 149 against them,” said AT Powar, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Kalyan.

As a mark of protest against the dispersal, some protesters formed a human chain outside the ACP’s office in Kalyan. “We wanted to protest till late but they did not allow us and told us that a case will be registered, so we expressed our displeasure by forming a human chain,” said Salma Shaikh, a protester. This second protest was also dispersed by 8.30pm.

Meanwhile, the protest at the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) ground at Govindwadi, known as the Shaheen Bagh of Kalyan, has continued into its 20th day despite lack of police permissions and electricity.