NSUI stages dharna over assault on women members during Delhi protest

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) on Tuesday staged a dharna outside the Connaught Place police station in Delhi, alleging that police personnel assaulted its women members during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The student organisation said several activists were detained during the protest and taken to the police station, with some yet to be released.

A video circulating on social media purportedly shows a woman NSUI member being dragged by her hair by a female police officer onto a bus carrying detained protesters. The allegations could not be independently verified from the information available.

In a post on its official X account, the NSUI condemned the treatment of its members, asking, “Don't you feel even a shred of shame? Such inhuman treatment of students who are raising their voices for their rights and democracy!”

It added that “voices can be suppressed with batons and oppression, but not courage”.

Earlier in the day, the Congress's student wing held a flash protest at Gate 7 of Rajiv Chowk Metro station in Connaught Place, demanding Kumar's immediate resignation over allegations of electoral irregularities.

The protest was led by NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar, who was detained along with hundreds of activists, according to the organisation.

A large police force was deployed in Connaught Place, near Jantar Mantar, as protesters raised slogans against the chief election commissioner.

NSUI national media in-charge Ravi Hanuman Pandey condemned the detentions and said the organisation's campaign against alleged “vote chori” would continue until Kumar resigned.

The protest came a day after Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.

Earlier on Tuesday, Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after reaching Jantar Mantar despite heavy barricading and a strong security presence.