sb.scorecardresearch

Updated 15:30 IST, December 19th 2023

Parliament security breach: Who is Neelam Azad, held while shouting 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' slogans

Parliament security breach: Neelam was outside the House & ignited smoke bombs as her accomplice shot a video of her.

Reported by: Piyush Gupta
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
Who is Neelam Azad
Neelam Azad being detained after she ignited smoke bombs outside parliament. | Image: Republic

On the commemoration of the 2001 Parliament attack's 22nd anniversary on December 13th, an unprecedented breach occurred, leading to the arrest of four individuals for security breach within the Parliament complex. Two men precipitously leaped into the well of Lok Sabha from the Visitors' Gallery, while simultaneously, two others outside the premises released coloured smoke canisters while chanting slogans including Neelam Azad.  She was outside the House and ignited smoke bombs while shouting 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' (dictatorship will not be tolerated) slogans. 

Who is Neelam Azad - involved in farmers’ & wrestlers' protest

Among the detained individuals, Neelam Azad, a 42-year-old resident from Hisar near the Red Square Market, was actively involved in these acts. Her history of activism includes various protests, notably at Jantar Mantar on June 4th, 2023, against the exploitation of women, and her participation in the farmers' agitation on February 18th, 2021.

Neelam had also joined the Sanyuk Kisan Morcha on December 20th, 2022, evidenced by her shared images of burnt effigies. 

Image: Neelam Azad's Facebook account

Her social media presence further attests to her engagement, having posted from Jantar Mantar on May 28th, among various other instances. 
 

Image: Neelam Azad's Facebook account

Neelam is reported to have an MPhil degree in addition to several other degrees, such as BEd, MEd, CTET, and NET. 

The breach itself involved two individuals entering the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, releasing yellow gas, and chanting slogans before being subdued by MPs. Concurrently, Neelam and another individual sprayed coloured gas outside the Parliament while shouting 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' (dictatorship will not be tolerated) slogans.

The arrest came as a surprise to Neelam's family in Hisar, where she had been residing for educational pursuits. 

In response to Neelam's arrest, Ramniwas, her brother, told PTI, “I got a call from my elder brother to switch on the TV immediately. He told me that Neelam was arrested in Delhi."

"Her certificate of Haryana Teachers Eligibility Test had expired. I asked her to go to Hisar and get coaching for the same," her brother said.

Ramniwas mentioned that a few days ago, his sister, who had passed the National Eligibility Test (NET), visited the village. She did not, however, say anything about the Parliament protest during her visit. Neelam’s mother claimed, “I spoke to my daughter this morning and she asked me to regularly take my medicines. We were not aware that she had gone to Delhi."

Published 09:32 IST, December 14th 2023