Aligarh Muslim University student activist Sharjeel Usmani was arrested from his home at Azamgarh on Wednesday. He was arrested in connection with anti-CAA protest in December 2019.
He was arrested from his hometown in Sidhari, Azamgarh at around 5 pm, said his brother adding that 5 people arrived at the doorstep and claimed that they are from the crime branch.
After asking why they were here, one of the five men said that "You don't need to know. Sharjeel knows why we are here," The Wire quoted Sharjeel's brother.
He was arrested while they were having tea, he said.
He added that the men barged into the house and wanted to see Sharjeel's room with even identifying themselves. They also confiscated his laptop, books, set of clothes and the family was forced to photograph and state their relation to Sharjeel.
The brother said that while all of this happened there was no female constable present considering women lived in the house who were also forced to get themselves photographed.
Speaking about this, Sharjeel's father Tariq Usmani said that "I refuse to believe it is an arrest" adding that the men did not tell them what were the charges against his son and even did not allow to talk to him.
Sharjeel's mother also said that we have the right to know why he was arrested.
The Wire reported that Azamgarh police has not made any statement regarding the matter so far.
However, Amar Ujala quoted the district's additional SP (Crime) Arvind Kumar who said that the arrest was made by the anti-terrorism squad of Lucknow police in connection with a case filed in Aligarh in December 2019.
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