NEW DELHI, Oct. 14 -- Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Delhi Police of brutally assaulting young protesters during demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that a woman had lost hearing in one ear following police action.
Gandhi's allegations came amid mounting criticism of the handling of protests in the national capital, where students, activists and opposition leaders have been demonstrating against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner. The Congress leader claimed that young demonstrators had been subjected to excessive force while exercising their right to peaceful assembly. His remarks followed complaints by several protesters who alleged that they had been beaten, forcibly detained and denied access to medical assistance during the demonstrations.
The claim that a woman had lost hearing in one ear could not be independently verified from the available reports, and no medical findings confirming the alleged injury were immediately available.
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Gandhi's latest criticism focused on the treatment of young people participating in the demonstrations. He accused the police of using force against protesters and questioned whether such action was justified against citizens raising concerns about electoral processes. The allegations have brought renewed attention to the conduct of security personnel during the demonstrations, particularly in cases involving women protesters and students.
Several organisations have accused the police of using disproportionate force during detentions, while the authorities have cited restrictions on public gatherings and the need to maintain law and order. The controversy has developed into a wider debate over the limits of police powers during political demonstrations and the safeguards available to citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
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The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress's student wing, staged a demonstration outside Connaught Place police station on Tuesday, alleging that its women members had been assaulted by police personnel during an anti-CEC protest.
Led by NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar, activists had initially gathered near Gate 7 of Rajiv Chowk Metro station to demand Kumar's resignation. Police subsequently detained Jakhar and several other demonstrators, according to the organisation. The NSUI alleged that women protesters were subjected to excessive force while being taken into custody. A video circulating on social media purportedly showed a woman police officer dragging a female protester by her hair towards a bus carrying detained demonstrators.
The authenticity and full circumstances of the footage were under police verification. NSUI national media in-charge Ravi Hanuman Pandey condemned the detentions and said the organisation would continue its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities. Jakhar also maintained that the police action would not deter student activists from pressing their demands.
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The allegations follow accounts from protesters detained during demonstrations over the weekend. Several detainees claimed they were taken to a community centre at Pandwala Khurd, approximately 38 kilometres from Rajiv Chowk, where they were allegedly beaten and denied access to their phones and medical assistance. According to the protesters, they were initially detained in central Delhi before being transported to locations farther from the protest sites. Some also alleged that minors were among those detained during the police action.
The claims have raised questions about the treatment of people held during preventive police operations, particularly regarding access to legal assistance, communication with families and medical care. Journalists covering the demonstrations have separately alleged that they were detained and obstructed despite identifying themselves as members of the press. Some reporters claimed they were pushed into police vehicles and taken to temporary detention facilities while covering the protests.
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The controversy has also reached the Supreme Court, with several petitions challenging restrictions imposed during the demonstrations and alleging violations of fundamental rights. The proceedings concern issues ranging from preventive detention and restrictions on movement to alleged police assaults on journalists, lawyers and protesters. The petitions include challenges to the legality of police action, requests for the protection of personal liberty and complaints concerning alleged non-compliance with judicial directions.
The cases have placed the conduct of law enforcement agencies under scrutiny, particularly in relation to the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and the requirement that restrictions on demonstrations remain proportionate to legitimate public order concerns.
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The demonstrations are part of a broader campaign by student organisations, civil society groups and opposition parties against the Election Commission's handling of the SIR exercise. The protesters have alleged that the revision process risks excluding eligible citizens from electoral rolls and have demanded greater transparency and accountability. The Election Commission has maintained that electoral roll revision is necessary to identify inaccurate and ineligible entries. Police have defended restrictions on demonstrations on public order grounds and have registered cases against protesters over alleged violations of prohibitory orders and obstruction of personnel performing official duties.
However, allegations of physical assaults and injuries have intensified demands for an independent examination of police conduct. Gandhi's latest remarks have added to the political pressure surrounding the controversy, with the Congress demanding accountability for the alleged mistreatment of young demonstrators. The competing claims concerning police action, the extent of injuries and the legality of the detentions remain subject to verification and judicial scrutiny.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.