Activist arrested for Aarey protest, DCP said more to follow

Sayyed was issued summons to appear before the police and was arrested when he reached Aarey police station

Mumbai An activist, who has been protesting against the proposed Metro-3 car shed in Aarey colony over the past few weeks, was arrested on Monday in connection with one of the two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against Aarey protesters.

Tabrez Sayyed was arrested after a case was registered against him and 18 others for unlawful assembly on July 25 (HT Photo)

After this arrest, Somnath Gharge, the deputy commissioner of police zone 12, said that more such arrests are on the cards in the future. Gharge also said that the accused, Tabrez Sayyed, was arrested after a case was registered against him and 18 others for unlawful assembly on July 25.

Sayyed was issued summons to appear before the police and was arrested when he reached Aarey police station. He was then taken to court where he was remanded to judicial custody. He was released on bail by the evening

“We had registered two FIRs against people protesting against the construction of the metro car shed in the Aarey forest area,” said Gharge. The second case was registered against three protestors who allegedly tried to enter the car shed area forcefully.

Activists have been gathering at Aarey’s Picnic Point every Sunday since July 3 to protest against the Metro-3 car shed. Tabrez, who has been associated with the Save Aarey movement for several years, was served with a notice under the criminal procedure code on July 25, and detained during the afternoon

On July 28, Sayyed was detained along with 12 others, from a group of at least two dozen who had gathered outside the depot plot to protest MMRCL’s ongoing work to clear the plot of vegetation.