CrPC notice to ‘Mumbai Bagh’ protesters

Mumbai: Six people, including a woman, were issued notices under section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on Monday in connection with a sit-in protest at Nagpada in the metropolis against the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC.

The protest, which has been going on for nine days now, is akin to the one in Shaheen Bagh in Delhi and therefore is being called ‘Mumbai Bagh’ by some sections of the media. The six were brought to Nagpada police station and allowed to go after the section 149 notices were served, an official said.

Section 149 of CrPC gives police the right to take steps to prevent a cognisable offence. “We have issued notice under section 149 of CrPC to six persons, including a woman, who are part of the protest in Nagpada,” Zone III deputy commissioner of police Abhinash Kumar said.

Earlier in the day, speaking at a press conference, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said the protesters do not have police permission and they must call off the stir immediately.

“We have assured the protesters no one will lose their citizenship due to CAA, NPR (National Population Register) and NRC (National Register of Citizens),” Mr Deshmukh said.

Shibu Khan, one of the protesters, claimed police were making rounds of the site and taking down names and numbers of women participating in the sit-in.

“They are harassing us and forcing us to vacate the place,” Khan alleged.

Hundreds of women have been sitting on a road in south Mumbai’s Nagpada area since the January 26 night against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register.

Holding placards and raising slogans, the women sat down on the Morland road outside Arabia Hotel on Sunday late night. Most of them are residents of Muslim-dominated Madanpura, Jhoola Maidan, Apripada, and Mumbai Central areas.