Delhi Police Accused of Brutality in Detention of Election Protesters

Protesters detained during a demonstration against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls on October 11 have alleged severe police brutality while in custody. The protest, organized by the All India Students' Association (AISA), began at RK Ashram Marg and moved toward Connaught Place before police intervened.

Detainees including journalist Ryan Thomas and activist Neha Bora reported being slapped, kicked, and beaten inside buses after arrest. Thomas stated officers targeted his head and attempted to break his camera while questioning his patriotism. Bora described CRPF personnel shoving and groping protesters while separating men and women out of media view.

“Children, don't take offence at being beaten by the police. This was done to teach you a lesson.”

A detention bus fitted with blue metal railings dividing the interior into three lockable cells was used to transport detainees to a community center in Pandwalan Khurd, a village in the Kapashera tehsil of Najafgarh. Male officers attempted to lock women into cells from the outside, but the women resisted. One officer was heard shouting "Sathyanash kar do sabka" — "destroy them all."

Inside a pitch-dark van also fitted with cages, detainees were allegedly punched and kicked one by one before being shoved into compartments. A police official reportedly told them: "Children, don't take offence at being beaten by the police. This was done to teach you a lesson." One detainee with a fractured hand said police refused medical attention.

Phones were seized and galleries searched without consent under the pretext of deleting protest videos. Media were barred from the isolated area near Rajiv Chowk where detainees were made to sit in a row. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.