In a significant development linked to the recent Parliament security breach case, a special team from the Delhi Police executed a raid at the residence of Neelam Azad, one of the accused, in Ghaso Khurd village, Jind. Accompanied by local Station House Officer (SHO) Balwan Singh, the operation, conducted on Sunday night, lasted for approximately 40 minutes.
Details surrounding the raid remain under wraps as both Delhi and local police officials declined to disclose specifics about the operation.
According to Neelam’s brother, Ramniwas, the police arrived at their residence around 11 pm while the family was asleep. The officials conducted a thorough search of Neelam’s room, seizing her personal diary dating back to her college days, books, and her bank account information. When inquired about Neelam’s whereabouts, the police informed the family that meeting her would require permission from the court. Ramniwas mentioned that they have sought permission from a Delhi court to meet Neelam, but it has yet to be granted.
Expressing dismay over the situation, Neelam’s mother, Saraswati Devi, highlighted that her daughter’s intent was to bring attention to genuine societal concerns through her protest. However, she lamented Neelam’s booking under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), emphasizing that instead of addressing the substantive issues raised by protesters, authorities resorted to incarceration.
Support for Neelam has surged, with students, women activists, and select farmer unions staging a protest march at her village, demanding her release. Beant Singh, a Punjab-based research scholar, emphasized that Neelam had not caused harm during the Parliament incident and criticized the government’s portrayal of her as a terrorist, particularly during a time marked by high unemployment rates across the nation.
The incident has sparked solidarity marches across various locations, including Punjabi University in Patiala and Sangrur, amplifying the call for Neelam’s release and questioning the government’s handling of dissent in the face of pressing societal issues.
Sources By Agencies