Delhi: Police Detains Two Minor Climate Activists For Protesting Against Air Pollution

Navya Singh

October 20, 2020

Nine-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam and 12-year-old Aarav Seth were detained by Delhi Police for protesting against air pollution in Delhi outside the Parliament House.

The two were detained for 40 minutes and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were also called to take the protesters.

So many police and security forces to detained a 9 years old girl and a 12 years old boy. I’m rising my voice is not just for me, it’s for the millions of children of Delhi and the people of this country. Our leaders just pretend but they don’t take any concrete action yet. pic.twitter.com/KozzVbWNh2

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) October 18, 2020

‘They took her somewhere but we couldn’t trace her,’ said a tweet from her handle, which is managed by her guardians.

They took her somewhere but we couldn’t traced her pic.twitter.com/YYQfpcElGN

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) October 18, 2020

The two were initially taken to the Parliament Street Police Station, but later released at Jantar Mantar by the police.

We were simply protest on the road sides because of the inaction of our leaders on the ongoing #DelhiAirPollutionCrisis. Now released us at Jantar Mantar. Initially they tried to took me with @AaravSeth888 to Parliament Street Police Station. pic.twitter.com/u8TJmZPzYu

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) October 18, 2020

Kangujam told The Wire that the police gave her a warning and told her that she would be arrested the next time if she again held demonstrations.

‘I appreciate all the police personals for treating me like as a daughter except 2-3 who warned me not to protest again at the same place,’ she said.

Referring to it ‘illegal detention’, the young climate activist said, ‘Under what law, how a nine years old kid can be arrested or detained?’

‘But I will go & protest again. This is my right to raise the voice to give us clean air to breathe. If I don’t tell to our leaders then to whom I should tell? My demand is for them too,’ Kangujam said.

Delhi’s air quality, which usually worsens in the winter season, hit an eight-month low on October 17 with stubble burning accounting for only 6% of the city’s PM2.5 concentration.

The national capital recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312. The last time the air quality hit such a poor level was in February with an AQI 320.

Also Read: India’s One-Day Coronavirus Cases Below 50,000 For First Time In Nearly 3 Months: 10 Points

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