Delhi: Student Activists On Way To Protest, Pulled Out Of Autorickshaw, Manhandled, Detained

All India Students Union activists who had called for a protest against the police atrocities during anti-CAA protest in Uttar Pradesh were detained when they were about to begin the protest at Uttar Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi on Monday, December 23.

As per NDTV report among the 46 students detained 26 were women. The protestors’ main demand was the resignation of UP CM Yogi Adityanath.

AISA Delhi President Kawalpreet Kaur and AISA National President N Sai Balaji and many other students from different universities in Delhi were detained at Mandir Marg Police Station in Delhi.

Kawalpreet was on her way to a protest in an auto-rickshaw when she was detained by Delhi Police just before 11:00 AM. According to Kawalpreet the police personnel who detained her were not wearing their name badges.

She also alleged that of being pulled out of the autorickshaw and manhandled by a group of at least seven policemen. “I do not know the exact number of people. All I can remember is that there were so many hands-on my body,” reported Edex Live.

N Sai Balaji remembers a police officer pushing him by his neck into the police bus. “We do not know what crime did we commit. We weren’t even protesting when they detained us. We kept on asking the police, but they did not answer,” he said.

As per Balaji, at least 10 people were detained with them, by the police. “Some of them are activists. However, out of the people picked up, there were also two people who had come to that area to have lunch. There was a government employee who was there to meet a friend,” he added.

Kawalpreet also said that the Mandir Marg police station was full of detainees as students and others attempting to protest in front of Assam Bhavan in Delhi were also brought there.

The police, however, denied all the allegations. “We only arrested the protestors from UP Bhawan after we got the orders. We never detained an innocent,” a police officer from Mandir Marg police station said.

Prabhanu Kumar Das, Student of Kirori Mal College who was also detained at Mandir Marg Police Station said that he was only there with another person when he was detained, reported DU Beat.

“The police barged the streets and looked for anyone who fit the profile for detention i.e. students. As soon as police started detaining people, we dispersed. However, Police were picking up students in groups of 2 or 4 in far corners of the street and taking them to Mandir Marg Police Station,” said Prabhanu.

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