A group of academics and activists on Wednesday questioned the Uttar Pradesh police’s narrative projecting a few individuals as “masterminds” of the workers’ protests in Noida last month and demanded a judicial probe into the case.

The Campaign for Release of Workers and Activists of Noida (CaRWAN) held a media conference here to protest the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA) against journalist Satyam Verma and theatre artiste and student activist Akriti Chaudhary over their role in the Noida agitation over low wages being paid to factory workers.

Last month, the police arrested seven activists and hundreds of workers for allegedly inciting violence and arson during the workers’ strike in Noida on April 13.

Priyambada, an activist, said Akriti was detained from the Botanical Garden Metro Station in Noida on April 11. She has been accused of inciting violence despite videos of her requesting workers to protest peacefully surfacing on social media. “When Akriti was detained on April 11, how could she incite violence on April 13?” she said.

Priyambada said Satyam, who was rounded up from Lucknow on April 17, had been framed in the case because he never visited Noida for the last 12 years.