Two human rights activists from Kerala were arrested in Coimbatore on Monday evening, after they allegedly tried to hand over a pen drive to jailed Maoists.
CP Rasheed and Harihara Sharma, both members of Kerala-based rights organisation Janakeeya Manushyavakasha Prasthanam, were arrested when the duo went to Coimbatore Central Jail to meet Maoist leaders Anup and Shaina lodged at the prison since 2015.
The Commissioner said:
He added that the police seized the pen drive and were in the process of ascertaining the contents of the pen drive. They were later remanded to judicial custody. However, the members of Jankeeya Manushyavakasha Prasthanam has cried foul over the arrest of the two. Rasheed is the president of the organisation.
In a press statement, Advocate Tushar Nirmal Sarathi, General Secretary of the organisation, condemned the Tamil Nadu police’s move.
The statement reads:
The organisation has also asked the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw all charges against Rasheed and Harihara and release them.
(This article was originally published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission)
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