Sadaf Jafar, lone woman arrested for Lucknow anti-CAA protests

Among the over 200 people arrested in Lucknow for the violent protests against the new citizenship law on Thursday, there was a lone woman -- social activist Sadaf Jafar. As of Saturday evening, she was in still judicial custody.

The FIR for Thursday’s violence at Hazratganj police station named 34 people, including Sadaf Jafar, advocate Mohammad Shoaib, president of Rihai Manch, and social activist Deepak Kabir.

SHO of Hazratganj police station DP Kushwaha said, “Sadaf was arrested along with other violent protesters near Parivartan Chowk by our police team. She has been sent to jail. We have sufficient video evidence of her involvement in the protest on December 19. She can appeal against her arrest in court.”

However, Nahid Verma, her sister, said: “She (Sadaf) was unarmed and never raised any slogan against the government. She was all for upholding the Constitution that governs the law of the land.”

Sadaf also posted two videos on Facebook highlighting police inaction when hooligans resorted to vandalism during the protests.

“In the video clips, Sadaf can be heard telling cops to nab those pelting stones while she (Sadaf) was being abused by the male cops and later a women cop caught her hand and took her into custody. Everything was caught on camera,” said Nahid Verma.

“My sister Sadaf was arrested on December 19 from Parivartan Chowk. Totally uncalled for and cowardly action of the police! They have slapped charges like sabotage and attempt to murder on her while she was reporting live on how police was complicit in the sabotage at the dharna point,” Nahid’s Facebook post reads.

“None of us were informed or apparently allowed to talk to her family. The children are in panic and so are we! Please pray for her early release,” Nahid’s Facebook post reads.

Those named in the FIR were booked under relevant sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, wrongful constraints, criminal intimidation, criminal assault on public servant etc. They were also booked for alleged criminal conspiracy and under Public Property Damage Act. As many as 11 FIRs were lodged in six police stations.

Dr Amira Dass, career counsellor said, “I have known Sadaf for over a decade. She is a kind, sensitive, gentle, polite and thoughtful person. She has always been outspoken about the rule of law and issues concerning human rights. Sadaf is a voluntary social worker who reaches out to the under-privileged.”

In Sadaf’s facebook profile, she has studied at Isabella Thoburn College Lucknow and prior to that at Carmel Convent Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Bhopal and Asia English School, Ahmedabad.