Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Delhi Police of assaulting student activists and Youth Congress workers detained during protests against alleged electoral irregularities, alleging that a Delhi University student from Kerala had lost hearing in one ear after being struck by police personnel.
Gandhi made the allegations at a press conference in the national capital, where several protesters described alleged physical assaults and mistreatment in custody. He displayed the injured activists and called for accountability over the police action.
The press conference followed demonstrations by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress's student wing, and the Indian Youth Congress against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protesters have demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
On Tuesday, NSUI activists staged a protest near Gate 7 of Rajiv Chowk Metro station in Connaught Place. Several protesters were detained, prompting the organisation to stage a dharna outside the Connaught Place police station over allegations that its members, particularly women, had been assaulted. A video circulated on social media purportedly showed a woman protester being dragged by her hair by a female police officer.
At Wednesday's press conference, Athira, a Delhi University student from Kerala, alleged that she was detained in a police bus without any female officers present. She said that after she requested a female constable, the bus was stopped outside the Connaught Place police station, where personnel repeatedly struck her across the face.
"Athira from Kerala has lost her hearing in one ear. She is deaf in one ear because she was struck on that ear... Last time I showed you a boy who was blinded. Now, she is deaf in one ear," Gandhi said.
A woman NSUI activist, whom Gandhi introduced as "our sherni" (tigress), accused a woman constable identified as Chanchal Yadav of assaulting her inside a bus. She alleged that the constable grabbed her by the neck, threw her onto a seat, scratched her face and slapped her.
The activist said the assault caused her earring to become embedded in the tissue of her ear, leaving her badly bruised. She further alleged that plainclothes personnel continued to assault her inside Room 107 of the Connaught Place police station.
Another protester alleged that 15 to 20 police personnel beat him and a colleague inside the Parliament Street police station. He also accused a constable identified as Ankit Kasana of assaulting them while they were being transported to the outskirts of Delhi.
Other demonstrators alleged that they were struck with lathis, kicked in their private parts and deprived of their belongings. Some also claimed that minors were left on the outskirts of the city without their phones or money.
The protesters further alleged that police personnel formatted detainees' mobile phones to erase video evidence of the alleged assaults.
Gandhi also introduced Samar, a flute player who performed the devotional hymn 'Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye' during the press conference. The performance was presented as a response to what Gandhi described as the administration's reliance on force to suppress dissent.
"Dande ka jawab dande se [A stick counter to sticks]," Gandhi said.
Samar alleged that he was detained on October 11 and beaten by plainclothes personnel, while right-wing groups intimidated peaceful demonstrators.
The allegations could not be independently verified. The account represents the protester's version of events; a response from the police is awaited.
Gandhi urged students to document police conduct on video and preserve evidence of alleged misconduct. He said the Congress would pursue accountability after the protest movement concluded.
"This is India. Amit Shah ji, take a good look at this... There is one voice, one protest. It is the voice of India, and you are standing against this voice," Gandhi said.
"To the police personnel, I have told all the students to keep a video record and send that evidence to us. When this entire matter concludes, we will utilize all that evidence and ensure that everyone who needs to be punished is punished, from PM Narendra Modi, Gyanesh Kumar, Amit Shah, down to the constable raising a hand against our children," he added.
The allegations come amid a wider confrontation between opposition parties, student groups and the authorities over the electoral roll revision and demands for Kumar's resignation. The protests have also drawn attention to restrictions on demonstrations in the capital and the police response to activists seeking to challenge the Election Commission.
The Delhi Police's response to the specific allegations made at Wednesday's press conference was not available in the reports cited here.