The family of a Muslim volunteer who had been distributing food and water to protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi has been released after being detained in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district, according to their lawyer.
In a video posted on social media on Saturday, Muhammad Junaid said he and his family were “completely safe” following the incident.
Junaid alleged that police officers arrived at his home in Ghaziabad on Friday and took his father into custody before releasing him later that night. He said officers returned the following morning and detained his father again.
He also claimed that police detained his sister’s father-in-law and brother-in-law in Meerut and took them to Masoori Police Station in Ghaziabad district.
According to Junaid, officers confiscated the bank passbooks of his parents and siblings, as well as Aadhaar identity cards belonging to family members, and told them the documents would be returned only if he presented himself at the police station.
Junaid said he was not wanted in any criminal case and had committed no offence.
The Meerut Police denied detaining any members of Junaid’s family. Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey told PTI that no such incident had come to his attention.
Superintendent of Police Vinayak Gopal Bhonsle said checks with all police station heads in the district found no record of Junaid’s relatives being detained there.
Junaid, however, alleged that personnel from the Ghaziabad Police carried out the detentions, including in Meerut, where some of his relatives live. Senior Ghaziabad police officials did not immediately comment on the allegations.
Junaid said he had been volunteering at the Jantar Mantar protest since demonstrations over alleged examination irregularities began, initially distributing drinking water before helping provide food and other essential supplies.
The protest began on June 6, when the Cockroach Janta Party launched a campaign at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of the education minister. The minister stepped down on Saturday, saying he was resigning to prevent what he described as “anti-national forces” from exploiting the ongoing protests.