Stories
Mumbai Student Alleges 9-Hour Police Search After Pro-Palestine Kite Campaign
- •Harshada Borade, a Mumbai postgraduate student, claims police searched her home for over nine hours without a warrant or ID after she participated in a pro-Palestine kite-flying campaign.
- •Borade, an activist with IPSP, alleged around 15 personnel, some in plain clothes, examined her personal belongings and photographed items from 5 pm on September 18 to 3 am the next day.
- •The allegations stem from a September 15 kite-flying event in Bandra where participants displayed Palestinian flags and posters in solidarity with Gaza children, which police say lacked permission.
- •IPSP claims Borade was detained without written notice, friends were manhandled, and two volunteers were handcuffed and had phones confiscated, though phones were later returned.
- •Police stated an inquiry is underway, denying illegal detention, and are conducting a background check on Borade, who says her landlord has since asked her to vacate.
Key Questions Answered
The police search was linked to a pro-Palestine kite-flying campaign held in Bandra on September 15, where participants displayed Palestinian flags and posters to express solidarity with children in Gaza. According to police, the gathering had not obtained the required permission, prompting an inquiry following social media posts about the event.
Harshada Borade alleged that about 15 police personnel searched her residence for over nine hours without producing a warrant or legal notice. The Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) further claimed that she was detained without written notice, friends were manhandled, and volunteers had their phones confiscated.
Mumbai Police stated that the allegations were being examined and that nobody had been illegally detained. DCP (West Zone-2) Mohit Garg confirmed that an inquiry was underway in accordance with established legal procedures.
