Protests after Jaipur cops detain 2 Azamgarh youths

The police said they found the duo “suspiciously roaming” late at night. “On questioning, one of them said he has a brother in jail for the 2008 Jaipur blasts.

Two cousins from Azamgarh, who were in Jaipur Sunday to reportedly meet a relative in jail, landed behind bars on the accusation of “suspicious activity”. Later, they were let off on bail.

Mohammad Arman, 20, said he had arrived with a cousin to gift new clothes for upcoming Eid to his brother Mohammad Salman, who is lodged in Jaipur jail in connection with the 2008 Jaipur serial blasts case. They were detained after a “routine check” by police at 4 am Sunday.

Within a couple of hours, activists flocked to the police station, accusing the police of being “biased” and demanding their release. The duo was later presented in court, which granted them bail around 3.30 pm.

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The police said they found the duo “suspiciously roaming” late at night. “On questioning, one of them said he has a brother in jail for the 2008 Jaipur blasts. We picked them up,” said Kotwali SHO Chiranji Lal. He said the two were booked under Section 109 of the IPC.

“We left from Delhi by bus at 9.30 pm Saturday and reached Jaipur at 3 am,” Salman’s younger brother Arman, a student in Azamgarh, said. “We took an auto for Musafirkhana. In a few minutes, policemen stopped us.”

Accompanying Arman was his cousin Arsalan Ahmad, 23, both from Sanjarpur village in Azamgarh. An unknown person was sharing the auto with them.

“The policemen wanted our identity cards and asked why we were in Jaipur. When I told them I was here to see my brother, they behaved rudely,” Arman said.

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“The policemen frisked us, checked Arman’s bag and took us to the police station where they verbally abused us and locked us up,” Arsalan claimed.

Arsalan called his father, who in turn informed Mohammad Nazimuddin, Rajasthan secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Soon, activists arrived at the police station.

They protested against the police, accusing them of being “biased” and calling the incident “a clear instance of profiling”.

Hamza Khan

Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More

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