Noida police deny allegation of evidence planting during activist’s house search

A CCTV clip from activist Srishti’s Noida home has prompted a dispute over a police search conducted on April 25, days after factory workers’ protests swept through the city’s industrial areas.

The Campaign for Release of Workers and Activists of Noida shared a 2.42-minute video that it said was recorded at about 11.21pm during the search. The group alleged that officers tried to place a mobile phone in the house before noticing a camera. The video’s authenticity has not been independently established.

Central Noida police rejected the allegation on Wednesday, saying the search followed all legal procedures and took place in the presence of Srishti and independent witnesses. Police said the search memo records that no mobile phone or diary was recovered from the premises, and said Srishti had been given police protection under a court order.

Srishti was arrested on April 17 in connection with the workers’ agitation in Noida Phase-2 and adjoining industrial areas. The protests involved demands for higher wages, overtime compensation and better working conditions, before clashes, road blockades and damage to property were reported. Police arrested hundreds of people after the violence.