Javed Muhammad located despite lack of assistance from UP cops

Family members of the jailed activist of the Welfare Party of India Javed Muhammad were able to locate and meet him, on Tuesday, despite no official confirmation from the authorities or the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police.

In a tweet, his daughter, an ex-JNU student, Afreen confirmed that Javed is currently lodged at the Deoria jail in Uttar Pradesh.

On June 20, the family released a distressing statement through Afreen’s official Twitter page stating that they were unable to locate or contact Javed following his illegal arrest by the Uttar Pradesh police on June 11.

Javed was arrested and initially lodged in Naini Central Jail following the violent protests that broke out in Prayagraj (previously known as Allahabad).

Police named him as the main conspirator in connection with the protests that broke out in Prayagraj after the Friday prayers (June 10) during a rally condemning the remarks of ex-BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal against Prophet Muhammad.

On June 13, the Prayagraj district administration demolished his house under the pretext of ‘illegal construction’.

Following the demolition, a wave of support sprouted for Afreen and her family. Twitter was trending with #IStandWIthAfreenFatima on June 12.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi, activist Khaled Beydoun, and journalist Rana Ayyub were among the few.