Mumbaikars hold candlelight vigil against Delhi violence

Mumbai police meet protesters at Marine Drive. (Express Photo)

At least eight protesters were detained by the Mumbai Police on Monday night for holding a candlelight vigil at the Marine Drive following clashes in northeast Delhi. However, they were freed after an hour.

The vigil that was initially planned at Gateway of India, was forced to relocate to Marine Drive on Monday night after the police barricaded the former site and prohibited entry of people.

“About 70 of us had gathered at the Gateway first. But the police had cordoned off the area. So we all decided to come to Marine drive to hold the candlelight vigil,” said Mohammed Kashif, who came from Govandi to participate in the token protest.

Mumbai: Protesters condemning Delhi violence negotiate with the police at Marine Drive as the cops try to vacate the site.https://t.co/jRqfBSQTW9 pic.twitter.com/qeklF4dnlu

The protest was sparked by fresh clashes in northeast Delhi over Citizenship Amendment Act between pro-CAA and anti-CAA protesters leading to the death of at least people including a head constable.

Those gathered at Marine Drive said they were against police brutality against protesting citizens. Several students said they are against any form of violence and condemned clashes between groups of those who support CAA and those against it.

“There is lawlessness in India’s capital. How can such attacks take place?” said Shubham Kothari, student Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

Senior police inspector Shivaji Fadtare of Colaba police station said, “As soon as we came to know that a group is going to assemble and protest at the Gateway of India, we instantly increased our manpower and barricaded the whole vicinity so that nobody occupies the road and makes it difficult for vehicular movement.”

The police said they allowed people to peacefully sit with candles as a mark of protest for some time at the Marine Drive. By midnight, the crowd swelled from 50 to over 200 and were told to vacate the place. Some of the protesters were even beaten up by the cops before they were bundled into police vans and taken to Marine Drive police station. The police said no permission was granted to hold a silent protest or candlelight vigil.