Exclusive: "Ye JNU Ke Students Hai, Inko Andar Karo": Police Manhandle Students Near UP Bhawan Amid Anti-CAA Protests

As many as 93 students were detained on Monday, December 23, outside Assam Bhawan in New Delhi as they protested demanding the release of RTI activist Akhil Gogoi who was arrested amid the violent anti-CAA protests in Assam.

93 three students were detained, including 52 women. They were taken to the Mandir Marg police station. The protest call was given by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU).

Even before the protest outside Assam Bhawan, police detained as many as 46 people outside UP Bhawan when they reached the venue to protest police action on civilians in the state during the anti-CAA protests.

“I along with two other friends of mine got to know about the two protests, one in front of Assam Bhawan and the other near UP Bhawan. We reached UP Bhawan before any protest had begun. We saw police jeeps around, and in an attempt to avoid getting detained, we moved away from the spot and waited,” Bishnupriya Chakrabarti, a masters student from Jawaharlal Nehru University told The Logical Indian.

“We were soon approached by a few women police officers and many other policemen, who demanded if we were there to protest, but we denied. They began asking us about where we studied, and I answered that I was a student at JNU. The policemen immediately said, “Ye JNU ke students hai, inko abhi andar karo” (They are JNU students, detain them right now),” she added.

Bishnupriya claims that she along with her two friends, one male and one female, were manhandled and dragged to a police jeep.

“All we did was stand peacefully at a spot which is open to any citizen who wishes to be there. It’s not like we were in a prohibited area. We were shocked at the kind of filthy language that the policemen used to abuse us,” she said.

“Thanks to a number of lawyers who were outside the police station, we were let go after some time. But even as we left, a number of others were held inside, manhandled, mistreated and abused,” she added.

Overall, more than 130 people, mostly students, have been detained by police in the National Capital since Monday, December 23. .

Also Read: Country Expresses Rage Against CAA As Protests Spreads To Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru