Police Mistakes RSS Leader for a Dalit Protester, Detains Him

After being released, RSS leader Rakesh Sinha alleged that the police used “abusive language” against him.

RSS leader and DU professor Rakesh Sinha. 

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Rakesh Sinha)

RSS leader Rakesh Sinha was detained by the Noida police on Monday, 2 April, on suspicion of being a Dalit protester. The Delhi University professor was detained from Noida's Film City where he was going to take part in a panel discussion at the CNN-News18 office, but was eventually released by police after his identity was ascertained.

Sinha later alleged that the police used "abusive language" against him.

Scores of Dalits had protested across the country in a Bharat Bandh against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act, which led to the death of at least 12 people in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

I was going to take part in a panel discussion at a media house in Noida when I was pulled inside a police jeep. There were eight policemen lead by SHO Noida who were using abusive language. When I asked them why I was detained, they simply said I was free to go now.

Rakesh Sinha to ANI

Sinha also appealed to the police to be mindful of "the basic human rights and dignity of a person".

Regarding the incident, Anil Kumar Shai, SHO, Noida sector 20 police station, was quoted by CNN-News18 as saying:

Our teams were looking for people when they saw him in Film city area and mistook him for a protester in the case. He was let off as soon as we realised our mistake.

Anil Kumar Shai, SHO, Noida police

The protests against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act had spread to the national capital and adjoining areas on Monday, disrupting train services and traffic on the roads.