Hyderabad, May 26 -- Sabi Devi has been selling soft toys near Charminar for 22 years. On Sunday evening, May 24, she and four other women hawkers were detained at the Charminar Police Station from 7 pm to 10 pm, produced before a court and fined Rs 200 each for creating public nuisance. Two days later, she says they were also made to clean the police station.

"Whenever the police ask us to move our carts, we do it," Devi told Siasat.com. "Yet, they detained and penalised us."

Devi insisted that she and the others had not violated any laws. She also said she only learned about the news coverage of their conviction when her neighbours told her. And she was shocked to see it.

What happened on May 24

The five women - Sabi Devi, Manu Devi...