Journalist Omar Rashid shares how he was picked up, threatened by the Police and later released

The Citizenship Amendment Act is being strongly opposed across the country. On Friday evening Hazratganj police took into custody Omar Rashid journalist of The Hindu newspaper in connection with the violence in Lucknow. 

Rashid said that he was having breakfast with some of his journalist friends in a hotel near the UP BJP office when few policemen in plain uniform barged in. He was accompanied by Robin Verma, a local activist and friend, and two others, both journalists. The men did not identify themselves and inquired about them using abusive language. They told him they wanted to ask him few questions about something. At the very first instance, Omar revealed his identity as a journalist and asked them what the matter was all about. However, they forced Omar and Robin Verma into a police jeep, snatched mobile phone and were told not to call or inform anyone. They refused to explain anything to him and asked him to talk only when the police asked anything.

They drove both of them to the Hazratganj police station a km away, where they were told a senior police officer wanted to talk to them. They were then escorted to a room — it looked like a cyber cell — where within seconds of entering, cops, already stationed there, started thrashing Robin with a thick leather belt and slapped him many times.

They locked the room and asked Omar to keep silent when he protested why he was brought there. The policemen threatened him they would book him under 120B of the Indian Penal Code if he didn't keep quiet and also said they had evidence to show he was part of the arsonists who vandalized police property and engaged in violence during the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. He tried again to clarify he was a journalist and showed his identity cards. One of them knew him as a journalist but that obviously was not considered.

Omar's Kashmiri background was referred to several times and despite informing them about my newspaper, they continued with their questions and threats. “You are a suspect,” he was told and asked to shut up.

The same cop who threatened to put him in place, again asked him about the “Kashmiris” and said he would tear out all his beard and thrash him. 

By then, the information had reached the CMO. The same cops who abused and intimidated him earlier now apologised and tried to explain that he was picked up due to a “confusion.” This was despite the fact that he had identified myself as a journalist from the very first moment.