Gateway of India not a venue for protests: Maharashtra home minister

Mumbai police will take legal action against the woman who was carrying a placard saying "Free Kashmir" during protest, said Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The Mumbai police have identified the woman as one Tejal Prabhu aka Mahek Mirza Prabhu, 37. She is a poet and storyteller.

While speaking with Hindustan Times, Deshmukh clarified that Gateway of India is not the venue where people protest can be held, as it creates problem for other Mumbaiites, and impacts traffic movement.

"We will not book any student protesting at Gateway of India. We have only relocated the venue to Azad Maidan," Deshmukh added.

"Police have also spotted a woman protesting with a placard written "free kashmir." We have identified her and will take legal action against her. We have requested the protesters to not carry any such placard that will land them in trouble," said Deshmukh.

The Mumbai police on Tuesday morning forced out hundreds of protesters from Gateway of India and asked them to shift their protests to Azad Maidan.

The Occupy Gateway protest at the iconic Gateway of India had kicked off hours after students and teachers were attacked in JNU on Sunday night by a masked mob, which went on a rampaging spree for more than two hours.

Around 50 people, taking part in the Occupy Gateway protest, were taken away from outside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai earlier in the day to Azad Maidan, the default protest area for Mumbai, two kilometres away.