New Delhi: Young demonstrators detained during recent demonstrations in central Delhi have alleged severe police assault, arbitrary detention, and harassment inside makeshift holding facilities. Detainees described being picked up from locations such as Connaught Place alongside journalists, lawyers, and minors, with their mobile phones confiscated and physical violence allegedly occurring inside police transport vehicles before being relocated to Pandwala Khurd. Other student detainees reported facing intense mistreatment, physical beatings, and fabricated police reports after being held at the Parliament Street police station. Protesters emphasized that minors and injured youths were subjected to harsh handling without prompt medical assistance.
Addressing the assembled demonstrators, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi voiced solidarity with the youth, describing the movement as a reflection of India's collective voice across diverse communities. He encouraged students to record and safeguard video documentation of law enforcement actions, vowing that accountability would be pursued against officials involved in suppressing democratic protests.
During a press briefing organized by the National Youth Congress, activists and content creators further detailed allegations of unlawful detentions, harassment, and the seizure or wiping of phones by law enforcement personnel. Female student activists from the National Students Union of India outlined instances of severe physical abuse during detention, accusing personnel of dragging, kicking, and striking them inside transport buses and the Connaught Place police station.
One Delhi University activist from Kerala recounted sustaining injuries after reportedly being beaten in an unmonitored basement area, alleging targeted assaults to her face, ears, and body. The accounts have amplified demands for transparency and independent reviews regarding the handling of demonstrators by security forces in the national capital.