B’luru girl booked for ‘Free Kashmir’ placard

A day after a teenage girl raised pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act event, attended by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, another young woman was detained and booked on Friday for holding a placard reading Kashmir Mukti, Muslim Mukti and Dalit Mukti at a pro-Hindu protest at Town Hall.

Police arrested 24-year-old Annapurna Narayan alias Ardra, a resident of Malleswaram in west Bengaluru. Two FIRs were registered against her at SJ Park police station in an incident that followed hours after another anti-CAA protester, Amulya Leona Noronha (19) kicked up a row by raising pro-Pakistan slogan.

Several pro-Hindu organisations, under the banner of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, were staging a protest against Amulya. Ardra entered the protest site at noon with a placard that read 'Free Kashmir, Free Dalit, Free Muslim, Free Trans, Free Adivasi'.

Soon after noticing her placard, the protesters started questioning her. Acting swiftly, the police took her into custody. The SJ Park police registered a suo motu case against her.

The Samiti spokesperson Mohan Gowda alleged that Ardra raised pro-Pakistan slogans, but the police said they have not come across any evidence to back the claim.

Chethan Singh Rahore DCP (Central) said there was no evidence that Ardra had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans but they recovered a placard which she was holding. "She has been booked under IPC Section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration)," he said.

Ardra was staying separately at C V Raman Nagar working as a graphics designer. She was remanded in 14-day judicial custody.

City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said the Hindu Janajagruti Samithi was given permission to hold protest against Amulya. "Tight security was provided during their protest. But a girl walked into the venue with a placard. The protesters asked her to leave the venue and slowly crowd gathered around her, police intervened and rescued her. We have booked a case against her and also investigating her background," he said.

Meanwhile, Amulya was produced before 5th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Thursday night and remanded in 14-day judicial custody. She was taken to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.