Social activist Medha Patkar (50) and over 250 of her supporters, including 75 women were arrested by the Kherwadi police yesterday after they met with Slum Redevelopment Authority officials at the MHADA building in Bandra.u00a0

BEHIND BARS: Medha Patkar was on her way to the collector's office to discuss problems of slum dwellers in Bandra when she was arrested. u00a0PIC/PRADEEP DHIVAR

Speaking to MiD DAY, Patkar said, "My meeting with SRA officials was successful to an extent. I had prior appointment with the collector, but before I could reach his office, the police used force against us. Many innocent women and children were injured."

However, Zonal DCP Nissar Tamboli refuted the charges. "She had not taken prior police permission for the rally. Also, in the scuffle, a lady officer sustained an injury and hence we booked Patkar and her supporters for non-bailable offences," said Tamboli.

She has been booked on charges of rioting, taking out a procession without authorisation and preventing the police from discharging their duties.

The group went to meet SRA's CEO Debashish Chakroborty with a memorandum listing the fraudulent dealings in the SRA's projects.

According to Geetanjali, Patkar's colleague, Patkar has been detained or arrested in all states other than Jammu and Kashmir. She has been in jail on over 15 occasions, the longest term being three weeks in Dhuliya jail in 1999, during her Satyagraha over the Narmada issue.