Natasha Narwal released from jail but to stay in Delhi

Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, June 17

Student-activist Natasha Narwal, who was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday in a matter pertaining to February 2020 violence in northeast Delhi, was finally released from jail late on Thursday evening.

However, Natasha’s family and friends, who were hoping that she would return to her home in Rohtak after being released, will have to wait for some more days as Natasha will have to stay in Delhi for a week.

Nonetheless, the family members of the student-activist heaved a sigh of relief as she got released from the jail and expressed gratitude towards the justice-delivery system.

“We are relieved. We are grateful to the judiciary which has upheld Natasha’s right to be out of the prison. Last two days were challenging as there was a delay in her release even after she was granted bail by the High Court,” said Natasha’s brother Akash, who was in Delhi to receive her.

“It has been an extremely testing year and nothing can make up for the loss suffered during this time, but today our faith in democracy and judiciary has been strengthened. I wish our father was here to share this moment with us today. We owe it to him and thank all those who stood by Natasha during this difficult phase,” he stated.

Natasha’s father Dr Mahavir Singh Narwal passed away at Rohtak recently while waiting and hoping for Natasha’s release from jail.

Natasha, who is a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, participated in the anti-CAA protests, had been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and arrested in May 2020 in connection with north-east Delhi violence.

She is also associated with ‘Pinjra Tod’, a collective of women students and alumni of colleges across Delhi that seeks to make regulations of hostels and paying-guest accommodations less restrictive for women students.