NEW DELHI, Oct. 12 -- Serious allegations of custodial assault, humiliation and mistreatment have emerged following the detention of more than 700 people during Sunday's protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi, with demonstrators claiming that police personnel slapped them, struck their private parts, confiscated mobile phones and transported them to detention facilities up to 40 kilometres from the protest sites.
Several protesters alleged that they were held for hours without adequate information about their whereabouts or release, while lawyers and activists circulated urgent appeals on social media to trace those taken into custody. The allegations followed the second consecutive day of demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The accounts, reported by Hindustan Times after speaking to detainees, described alleged assaults inside police vehicles and at detention facilities, including Pandwalan Khurd in southwest Delhi. The allegations have not been independently established, and Delhi Police had not provided a detailed response to the specific complaints at the time of reporting.
Lawyer recounts alleged assault
Arjun Unnikrishnan, a 30-year-old researcher and lawyer, said he was detained near Connaught Place between 3 pm and 3.30 pm on Sunday after witnessing police personnel taking a couple into custody. According to him, officers approached his group, pushed them into a Delhi Transport Corporation bus and detained several bystanders who were not participating in the demonstration.
Unnikrishnan alleged that detainees were subsequently made to sit in rows near Palika Bazaar while police personnel confiscated their mobile phones. He claimed that those who refused to disclose their phone passwords were abused and humiliated, while officers examined photographs and other material stored on the devices. He alleged that a young detainee was repeatedly slapped before officers accessed his phone and laughed while examining its contents. A senior officer later intervened and assured the group that they would be released if they cooperated, but the situation deteriorated after they were transferred to another police vehicle, Unnikrishnan claimed.
According to his account, police personnel inside the confined vehicle assaulted detainees as they entered, striking them on the chest, back and private parts. He also claimed that four minors were among those detained, based on details collected by the police.
Detainees taken far from protest sites
Unnikrishnan said the vehicle first travelled to Chhawla, where it stopped briefly before proceeding to a community centre at Pandwalan Khurd. He alleged that more than 50 men were held there and that some were singled out for assault. Two detainees had suffered suspected fractures, he claimed, while requests for drinking water, food and medical assistance went unanswered for nearly two hours. He said a senior officer eventually intervened and the group was released around 10 pm, although some detainees were allegedly unable to recover their mobile phones. Unnikrishnan said he subsequently visited a hospital for injuries to his face, chest and back. Hindustan Times reported examining his medico-legal certificate, which recorded an alleged history of police assault.
Another detainee, a 23-year-old employee of an e-commerce automation startup, described a similar experience. He said he was picked up near Connaught Place at 4.18 pm and assaulted after being transferred to a police van. He also alleged that several minors were among those detained. According to the second detainee, the police informed the group around 9.30 pm that they could leave, but several people faced difficulties arranging transport because their phones had been confiscated. He said he sustained injuries while being dragged during the detention and shared photographs showing marks on his hand and chest.
Police deny detaining minors
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh denied that minors had been detained and said all those taken into custody had been released before 10 pm on Sunday. He did not comment on the specific allegations of assault or confiscation of mobile phones. The conflicting accounts have raised questions about the circumstances of the detentions, the treatment of protesters inside police vehicles and the availability of legal and medical assistance.
Lawyers seek accountability
The allegations emerged as lawyers and activists sought information about detainees who had been transported to different locations across the capital. Some legal representatives reportedly followed police vehicles after receiving location details from protesters who had managed to retain their phones.
More than 700 people were detained during Sunday's demonstrations, according to a police headquarters official cited in reports. Those taken into custody included student activists, journalists and political representatives. The protests were held at several locations, including Connaught Place, RK Ashram Marg and areas surrounding Jantar Mantar. The Delhi High Court on Monday also considered requests for urgent hearings concerning restrictions on demonstrations and alleged violence against protesters. One petition sought an independent investigation into assaults reported around Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar on October 10.
The allegations of custodial violence remain unproven. However, the accounts of injuries, prolonged detention and alleged denial of basic assistance have intensified scrutiny of the police response to demonstrations against the Election Commission. The central questions now concern whether force used during the detentions was lawful and proportionate, whether those taken into custody were afforded procedural safeguards, and whether allegations of misconduct will be independently investigated.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.