Bengaluru Activist Ardra Released on Bail After A Month in Custody

Ardra was arrested by cops on 21 February for holding a placard asking for liberation of various communities

Ardra had carried the placard amidst a gathering of Sri Rama Sene, Hindu Jagarana Vedike and Hindu Janajagruthi Samiti activists at the city’s Town Hall.  

(Photo: Accessed  by The Quint)

Ardra Narayanan, a student-activist in Bengaluru who was arrested by Bengaluru police for holding a “Muslim, Kashmiri, Bahujan, Adivasi, Trans liberation now” placard a month ago, was released on bail on Tuesday, 24 March, after a month.

The 55th Additional City Civil and Sessions judge K Narayana Prasad gave the bail order after Ardra was arrested by SJ (SIlver Jubilee) Park Police Station under sections 153a (Promoting enmity between different groups either spoken or written, or by signs) and 153b (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) of the Indian Penal Code on 21 February.

Ardra had carried the placard amidst a gathering of Sri Rama Sene, Hindu Jagarana Vedike and Hindu Janajagruthi Samiti activists at the city’s Town Hall.

After being spotted by those activists, Ardra was heckled and had to be rescued by the police before they took them into custody.

Later, the police also stated that during interrogation, Ardra had said that their act of protest was carried out to extend support to Amulya.

Members of the right-wing Hindu organisations had gathered on 21 February to protest against Amulya Leona. Later, it was found that Ardra had gone to the Town Hall protest to express solidarity for Amulya who was already in custody by then.

Amulya, another student activist, had courted controversy and was arrested by Bengaluru police for sedition for saying “Pakistan Zindabad'' at an event held on the previous day as part of the anti-CAA-NRC (Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens) drive. Incidentally, at that  event, Assadudin Owaisi, Hyderabad MP and AIMIM President, was the chief guest.

As part of her speech, Amulya had said Hindustan Zindabad and was continuing to say, “The difference between Pakistan Zindabad and Hindustan Zindabad…” before she was escorted off the stage by the organisers and police.

The bail application for Amulya Leona is still pending.

(This article has been republished in an arrangement with The News Minute)