Mumbai police search activist's home over kite-flying event for Palestinian children

The Mumbai police searched the residence of a 26-year-old activist in the city on Friday, September 18, 2026, in connection with a kite-flying event organised to express solidarity with Palestinian children, the activist and her group have said.

The activist, Harshada, is a student and a volunteer with the citizens' group Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine. She said five members of the group were at her home during the search and were not allowed to leave.

According to the group, individuals in plainclothes who identified themselves as police officers arrived at her residence, and around 15 police personnel were present at the location at one point. Harshada said the uniformed personnel began the search at 5:30 p.m. without a warrant, written notice or any official documentation.

She said the police prepared a list of her books and recorded photographs and videos during the search. The mobile phones of two people who were with her were taken and returned two hours later after they asked for them, she added.

Harshada alleged that one officer was inebriated and spoke rudely to those present. She said the officers did not take responsibility for one another's statements or actions, with one saying, "I did not take the phone; do not talk to me," when questioned.

She said that when she was being taken away, two friends who had been at a library accompanied her. According to her account, the police handcuffed them, used abusive language, took their mobile phones and checked the data on the devices. A panchnama — a document recording the observations, findings and evidence collected by an investigating officer during a search — was later filed, she said.

Activists claimed that a sixth person was questioned at Bandra police station and released in the evening.

In a social media post on Saturday, September 19, the group said: "More than nine hours — and counting — for 'searching' a person's place of residence without a warrant merely for flying kites in solidarity with Palestinian children."

The group described the police action as an assault on democratic rights and civil liberties and a violation of the right to privacy, and demanded action against what it called the illegal actions of the police.

Participants across the world flew kites on September 15 to raise awareness about Israel's war on Gaza.

Senior police inspector Ravindra Salunkhe declined to comment when contacted.