The Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) on Friday early morning performed two simultaneous raids on the homes of scholar activists in Punjab – one in Sri Muktsar Sahib and the opposite at Patiala – as a part of a probe right into a 2023 Naxal hyperlink case registered in Lucknow. The farm union leaders, on their half, condemned the raids which “are supposed to intimidate those that dared to query the federal government’s anti-people insurance policies”.
Round 4 NIA officers accompanied by Punjab Police officers reached the home of labour rights activist Rampal Singh round 5 am in Gandhar village of Sri Muktsar district. Singh who’s related to Manesar Normal Majdur Sangh, Haryana, is the brother of labour rights activist Nodeep Kaur of Majdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Harveer Kaur of Punjab Pupil Union, and Rajveer Kaur, member of Discussion board In opposition to Corporatisation and Militarisation (FACAM) and Kalam Kala Sangram, His mom Sawaranjeet Kaur additionally a labour rights activist who works for Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union. The workforce seized his cell phone, two diaries, and a few pages with English and Punjabi textual content written, sources revealed.
Nodeep Kaur was earlier arrested by the Haryana Police in January 2021 on the time of the notorious farmers’ protest and was launched on bail in February. She was working with manufacturing unit employees’ unions at Kundli border at the moment. She turned a preferred youth determine after Meena Harris, niece of former US vice-president Kamala Harris had tweeted searching for Kaur’s launch.
In its second raid, NIA reached the home of Damanjeet Singh, ex-president of College students for Society (SFS) in Rajpura constituency of Patiala district round 5 am.
Sources mentioned that the NIA officers confiscated his cell phone, a laptop computer, collected his checking account particulars and likewise received his signatures achieved on search and seizure paperwork.
“The workforce got here at about 5 am and stayed there for round 4 hours. Damanjeet Singh is now a farmer. That is an try to silence the activists who’ve dared to query the federal government about anti-people insurance policies. We strongly condemn this,” Sandeep, present president of SFS, informed The Indian Specific.
Final month Singh was referred to as at Lucknow the place he was interrogated the entire day in reference to a case underway at NIA courtroom in Lucknow, mentioned sources.
Sukhwinder Kaur, normal secretary of Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) Krantikari, mentioned that her home was additionally raided in August in reference to the Lucknow case. “They only need to silence the voices of alert individuals. Our union members had gathered at Rajpura after we received to know concerning the arrival of NIA workforce however they’d left by then,” she added.
In the meantime, Nodeep Kaur and her sisters weren’t dwelling, when NIA reached their home at Gandhar village.
“Our union members had gathered shortly exterior the home when the raid was happening. The NIA officers stayed for greater than 4 hours on the spot. They had been in a bid to take Rampal however lastly didn’t take him alongside. They took his cellular and some paperwork. Their mom works with our union. Additionally they received a search and seizure doc signed from Rampal Singh,” mentioned Lachhman Singh Sewewala, normal secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union.
Members of Zamhoori Adhikaar Entrance, BKU Ugrahan, Pendu Khet Mazdoor Union and members of a number of different unions had gathered exterior the home on the time of NIA raids.
Tarsem Peter, president of Pendu Khet Mazdoor Union president, has condemned the search by NIA.
“NIA is attempting to gag the voice of people that elevate questions and above all, they don’t even inform the state police about their arrival which must be condemned,” Professor Bawa Singh, state committee member of Zamhoori Adhikaar Entrance, mentioned.
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