A Delhi Court on Friday, 29 January, dismissed the bail application of Pinjra Tod’s leader and student activist Devangana Kalita. Kalita was booked under contentious Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a case related to the Northeast Delhi riots in 2020.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat wrote in an order that there are, “Reasonable grounds to believe that allegations against Kalita are, prima facie, true,” PTI reported.
Kalita, along with Pinjra Tod’s Natasha Narwal was arrested in May last year for allegedly taking part in a premeditated conspiracy in the riots. While both the members were granted bail the next day, they were immediately re-arrested under charges of Arms Act and Murder from the Indian Penal Code.
Pinjra Tod began in August 2015, with an anonymous open letter written by an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia. The letter strongly protested the cancellation of the women students' right to go for hostel night-outs. This then translated to thoughts, debates and discussions across universities in India.
On 24 February 2020, communal violence erupted in parts of Northeast Delhi after supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Law (CAA) clashed with anti-CAA/NRC protesters. The violence left at least 53 people dead and over 200 injured.
(With inputs from PTI)
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