Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad detained ahead of anti-CAA meet in Hyderabad

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was detained in Hyderabad on Sunday (January 26) hours before he was scheduled to participate in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad has been arrested by Hyderabad police,” a tweet on Azad’s official Twitter handle said.

भीम आर्मी प्रमुख चन्द्रशेखर आज़ाद जी को हैदराबाद पुलिस ने गिरफ्तार कर लिया है। — Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) January 26, 2020

Hyderabad Police said in a statement that Azad has been detained ahead of his participation in a protest against CAA and NRC under Lungerhouse police station limits. The statement added that Azad and other protesters were not given permission by the police to hold the protest.

Sources said that Azad was to attend a protest against the CAA-NRC-National Population Register (NPR) combine which was to be held at Crystal Garden in Mehdipatnam. The protest was organised by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences students’ union members. The Bhim Army chief was also scheduled to readthe Preamble of the Constitution. It may be recalled that Azad had participated in a public meeting organised by the All India Dalit Muslim Adivasi Progressive Front at the same venue few days ago.

Azad's arrest in Hyderabad comes just days after he was granted by Tis Hazari Court in Delhi in connection with the violence that broke out Daryaganj on December 20.