Labour rights activist Nodeep Kaur is reportedly at the Singhu Border amid the ongoing farmers’ protest on Saturday, 27 February. In a press conference at Singhu, Nodeep stated that she will ‘continue to fight for the farmers and the rights of workers.’
In her speech, Nodeep said that “this movement (farmers’ protest) is not only of the farmers but also of the peasants, workers and the general public. Everyone in this movement is fed up with the policies of the government, this is their movement. No matter how many laws the government has brought, they will have to repeal them.”
The 24-year-old activist was granted bail by Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday, 26 February, after she was arrested from the Singhu border on 12 January, where she was part of the ongoing farmers’ protest against the Centre’s contentious farm laws.
“I have not done anything illegal in the past and will not do anything illegal in the future and will always stand for the people,” reported NDTV, quoting Nodeep after her release from Karnal Jail.
Nodeep, a native of Muktsar district in Punjab, alleged physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the authorities since her arrest, but the police have denied these accusations.
The medical legal report on Nodeep records that she sustained injuries to her thigh and buttock region, which appear to have been caused by a blunt weapon, after her arrest by the Haryana Police on 12 January.
In her bail plea, Nodeep has reportedly said that she was falsely named as accused in an FIR lodged under various sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC.
‘Was Beaten up by Police After Arrest’: Nodeep
In an interview with freelance journalist Mandeep Punia on Saturday, 27 February, Nodeep alleged that at the time of the arrest, male police officers took her to a deserted area where she was beaten up.
She added that no female police officers were present – during her arrest or when she was taken to the police station.
“At the time of arrest, the policemen grabbed me, pulled me by my hair and beat me up. There were no female police officers present during my arrest. After the arrest, I was beaten up and taken to a deserted area. I was also pressured to implicate everyone (I was) with at the protest site,” she added.
Nodeep also alleged that she was beaten by male police officers and her private parts were targeted during the alleged assault.
In the interview, Nodeep alleged that she spoke to several woman in Karnal Jail who claimed that custodial rape is common and many had sustained injuries to their limbs due to alleged police assault.
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