Mumbai student alleges home search after pro-Palestine campaign

A student claims police searched her home for nine hours without a warrant

MUMBAI: Postgraduate student Harshada Borade has alleged that Bandra police's anti-terrorism cell searched her home for over nine hours without a warrant and mistreated her friends after she took part in a pro-Palestine kite-flying campaign on Sept 15.Borade said the house owner has since asked her to vacate.Borade, in a video posted on Sunday, alleged that at least 15 cops searched her residence from 5pm on Friday until 3am on Saturday without serving a legal notice or producing a warrant.She claimed plainclothes personnel refused to show identification, forcibly entered her personal space, examined her notebooks and diaries, recorded book titles and photographed and videographed her belongings.Bandra police have not registered an FIR against Borade and are gathering details and conducting a background check on her. DCP (West Zone-2) Mohit Garg said an inquiry was under way "in accordance with procedures established by law".Indian People In Solidarity With Palestine (IPSP), of which Borade is an activist, said six to seven plainclothes personnel identifying themselves as cops arrived at her residence.

It alleged that Borade was detained without written notice and later taken back to the residence.IPSP alleged that the search ended after 2.30am on Sept 19 and that Borade's friends were manhandled and abused. It claimed two volunteers were handcuffed, their phones confiscated, and those present threatened with legal action and physical violence.According to IPSP, the panchnama linked the search to a nationwide kite campaign expressing solidarity with children in Gaza. It said the document listed books and quotations by Bhagat Singh and Savitribai Phule among the items found.IPSP also alleged that the panchnama stated the search was not pre-planned but was authorised by senior police officials after personnel found Borade's "behaviour suspicious".