INDIA
The lawyer and Ambedkarite activist was in Hyderabad to address a gathering of students of TISS
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad was on Sunday detained by the Hyderabad Police, ahead of his participation in a protest meeting in the city against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
A post on the official Twitter handle of the social activist, however, stated that Azad has been 'arrested' by the Hyderabad Police.
"Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad has been arrested by the Hyderabad Police," the tweet stated in Hindi.
भीम आर्मी प्रमुख चन्द्रशेखर आज़ाद जी को हैदराबाद पुलिस ने गिरफ्तार कर लिया है।
— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) January 26, 2020
The lawyer and Ambedkarite activist was in Hyderabad to address a gathering of students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), it was reported earlier. The TISS students' union had organised the gathering, a protest programme on the occasion of Republic Day against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and the National Population Register (NPR).
Later in the day, Chandra Shekhar Azad was to attend a protest meeting in the city organised by the All India Dalit Muslim Adivasi Progressive Front. The police have said that the protesters did not have permission for the protest.
Azad was released from police custody on January 16 after his bail was granted by Delhi's Tis Hazari Court. He was arrested in December last year after a protest at Jama Masjid. The protest had turned violent later that day with protesters setting on fire a vehicle outside the police station.