11-year-old among those detained during Chaityabhoomi protest in Mumbai

Sandhya Panaskar, her husband, and their 11-year-old son (behind his parents) at Chaityabhoomi on Monday before the family was detained in the Worli police station on Monday. Pic/By Special Arrangement

An 11-year-old boy was among those detained during Monday's protest at Chaityabhoomi, where Mumbai Police rounded up dozens of demonstrators ahead of what they described as an unauthorised gathering.

His mother, Sandhya Panaskar, alleged that she, her husband, and their son were detained and taken to Worli police station after refusing to leave the protest site. She claimed the child was left shaken after witnessing police drag his father away.

Police had detained several protesters during the demonstration. Their response to Panaskar's allegations was not immediately available.

‘I was standing with my son'

Panaskar said her family reached the protest venue around 4 pm. Seeing protesters being detained, she began calling friends to join the demonstration. She alleged that police soon tried to escort her family towards waiting police vans.

"I was simply standing there with my son, and they started telling me to go away. When I did not, someone held me by the shoulder and tried to direct me towards the van. I didn't want them touching me or forcing me."

Panaskar claimed that at previous protests police had avoided detaining mothers accompanied by children. "This time, they detained all of us," she said.

Released after nearly four hours

Panaskar said she and her son were released at 7.44 pm, nearly four hours after being detained.

She claimed even officers at Worli police station questioned why a child had been brought there.

"Even the officers at the station were asking the personnel who brought us why there was a kid with us."

She also claimed another woman and her 10-year-old daughter had been detained and brought to the same police station.

Child witnessed father's detention

According to Panaskar, her husband was taken away first. She alleged her son became frightened after seeing his father being dragged towards a police vehicle.

"He was scared yesterday after seeing his father being dragged away. He is still disturbed by what happened."

While trying to comfort her son, Panaskar said she too was escorted into a police van along with the child.

They were taken to Worli police station.

‘Took him since I'm fighting for his future'

Responding to criticism over bringing her son to the protest, Panaskar said the demonstration was about issues that would directly affect his future.

"I am fighting for his future, which is very valuable to us. That's why he was with us."

She added that she had always taught her son to respect the police.

"My son had no fear of the police from childhood because we raised him that way.

But after yesterday's incident, he has developed a deep fear of them."

Quick View

Who: Sandhya Panaskar, husband and 11-year-old son
Where: Chaityabhoomi, Dadar
When: Monday
Taken to: Worli police station
Released: Around 7.44 pm