Sec 144 imposed in Aarey after protests over tree cutting; 38 booked, 60 detained

Police imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey Colony and surrounding areas on Saturday, banning unlawful assembly, following strong protests by activists against the felling of trees in the green zone for a Metro car shed, an official said.

While 38 protesters were booked under various sections of the IPC since Friday night, at least 60 others were detained, police said. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who took part in the protest, was also taken into custody.

Opposition parties slammed the ruling Sena-BJP alliance, stating they have failed to save the trees. Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd for "slyly and swiftly" cutting down an ecosystem, which, he said, is "shameful and disgusting".

He said the Metro officials should be posted in PoK to destroy terror camps, instead of trees.

The MMRCL started hacking trees from Friday night to make way for a car shed, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and activists challenging the decision to allow felling of trees in the prime green lung of the city.

As the felling of trees began, hundreds of environmental activists gathered in Aarey Colony and protested. They tried to stop the authorities from chopping down the trees.

The activists claimed that almost 200 trees have been cut so far.

Following the protest, the entire Aarey Colony was cordoned off by Mumbai police Saturday. Police started dispersing the crowd and forcibly removed the protesters, an official said.

"Section 144 of the CrPC, banning unlawful assembly, was imposed in Aarey Colony, Goregaon check post and surrounding areas on Saturday," a Mumbai police spokesperson said.

At least 38 protesters were booked under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 143 (unlawful assembly) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), he said.

An activist said, "There is a heavy police deployment in the area. No one is allowed to enter Aarey Colony. Even tourists are being stopped."
In a tweet, Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "I have been forcibly evicted by the cops and I wasn't even breaking the law! The cops in the car wont even tell me where I am being taken ... this is insane @MumbaiPolice."