Former IAS Officer Kannan Gopinathan, who was detained by the Uttar Pradesh police, en route to Aligarh Muslim University was released and escorted out of the state. Gopinathan was to attend an event organised by the Resident Doctors' Association of the JN Medical College Hospital, AMU, against the implementation of the NRC and the CAA.
Commenting on the detention, AMUSU President M Salman Imitiyaz says, "The police don't want anyone to talk against NRC and CAA. Previously they detained Yogendra Yadav too when he had come to AMU. They did not even want the event to be held. But we had sought the required permissions to conduct the event."
A few other participants at the event are AIPWA Secretary Kavita Krishnan and former AIIMS RDA President Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti. Gopinathan, who quit the services protesting the government abrogating Article 370, was previously asked by the Aligarh District Administration to not attend the event.
The news of the detention was revealed by Gopinathan himself through a series of tweets. Even though the order was issued by the Aligarh police, Gopinathan tweeted that he was detained in Agra and was taken to a dhaba and then to a guest house. "Police have been very cordial and respectful. Saying they are just doing as per order," he tweeted. Edexlive tried contacting Gopinathan over phones. However, our calls were not answered.
