8 activists booked over ‘ruckus’ at Pune police commissionerate

A senior police officer said the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against the activists early on August 5. According to the police, officers in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar had sought help from the Kothrud police to trace a woman who was reportedly missing. Subsequently, on August 1, the Damini Squad (comprising only women personnel) of Kothrud police station questioned three women residing at a hostel in Kothrud as the missing woman had stayed with them for some time. The women were also brought to the station for inquiry.

The women, however, alleged that the police officers tortured them and passed casteist remarks at them. The police have denied the allegations.

On the night of August 3, two of the three women gathered at the police commissionerate on Sadhu Vaswani Road in Pune Camp along with a group of activists. The police asked them if they had permission to protest at the spot, but the activists allegedly argued that they did not need any permission.

Meanwhile, some of the activists are said to have entered the police commissionerate forcefully and shouted on the premises. Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police, held a discussion with the activists and issued them an official letter regarding an inquiry into the matter, but an activist allegedly tore the letter. The activists also made provocative statements at the spot, the FIR stated.

The eight activists have been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 190 and 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 324(3) (mischief and damaged to public property) and sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.