Police cooked up a Harry Potter story: Vernon's family

The Pune Police cooked up a "Harry Potter-like story" linking human rights activists and civil rights defenders to violence, says the family of Vernon Gonsalves, one of the arrested activists.

"It's nothing but a Harry Potter-like story... sounds like some kind of fable," said Susan Abraham, Gonsalves' wife.

A resident of Andheri in Mumbai, the 62-year-old Gonsalves is currently under house arrest.

According to Susan, it was all done to protect Milind Ekbote, founder of the Pune-based Samasta Hindu Aghadi, and Sambaji Bhide Guruji, the founder of Sangli-based Shree Shiv Pratisthan Hindustan, whom she said are responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon caste riots.

"The government just wants to protect them," she said.

She also said those not connected to the caste riots have been picked up by the police.

According to her, the Elgar Prishad held on December 31 in Pune was a highly successful meeting.

"The government and the police just want to malign the success of the parishad by linking it to CPI (Maoist) and Naxalism," said Susan, adding that more than 250 organisations had taken part in the meeting, which discussed various issues.

"Also the fact that Shaniwarwada was chosen as the venue for the meeting has not gone down well among certain sections," said Susan, a lawyer, pointing out that for six months, activists have travelled from district to district ensuring that the Pune meeting is a success.