Jailed Labour Activist Nodeep Kaur Sexually Assaulted By Haryana Police In Custody, Alleges Family, To Move HC

The family of jailed activist Nodeep Kaur, a labour rights activist, who has been in custody for about a month for protesting against the contentious farm laws, has said they will move the High Court of Punjab and Haryana for her release. Kaur was denied bail on Wednesday, February 3, by a Sessions Court in Sonipat.

A member of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Kaur was arrested on January 12 after she had participated in the farmer's protests at Delhi's borders. Kaur has been charged under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and extortion.

Kaur's family has alleged that she was assaulted by the cops when she was in custody, Scroll.in reported.

"The allegations against my sister are false," Rajvir, Kaur's sister said. "Nodeep joined the [farmers'] protest at Singhu in November. She was also fighting for labourers who didn't get wages regularly. On January 12, she was protesting near a factory in Kundli when police picked her up...I met her and she told me cops assaulted her in custody," she added.

Advocate Amit Shrivastav, representing Kaur in the case alleged that the activist had been thrashed by the police at the station.

The police, however, have denied the allegations "being circulated on social media platforms about illegal detention and harassment."

The activist was kept in the ladies' waiting room "for the entire time and was accompanied by two female police personnel for the entire duration of her stay," the police said.

A medical examination which was conducted after she was arrested revealed injuries on her body and private parts. "This points to the fact that Nodeep was sexually assaulted in police custody," Kaur's lawyer alleged. The police, however, claimed that Kaur had refused a "special medical examination by a lady doctor for sexual assault, saying she does not want to be examined as she was not assaulted."

The police said Kaur and other members of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan were attempting to break into a factory in Kundli for "illegal extortion under the garb of workers' unpaid salaries". When the police tried to mediate, members of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan attacked them and injured seven cops, the police said.

Denying her bail on Wednesday, Sessions Judge YS Rathor said that there were two FIRs lodged against her. "In view of the gravity of offence, the applicant does not deserve concession of bail and bail application is dismissed," the judgement read.

Kaur's arrest received international attention after Meena Harris, the niece of United States Vice President Kamala Harris took to Twitter to write about how the activist was tortured in police custody.

Also Read: Haryana: Farmer Leader Gives Call To Intensify Protest At Charkhi Dadri Mahapanchayat