Inside an activist's detention: Protesters allege heavy-handed police tactics in Delhi

A demonstration organized by the All India Students' Association in Delhi on October 11 ended with protesters being detained in what they describe as unusually restrictive circumstances. The protest, which began at 2:30 pm from RK Ashram Marg metro station with only 30 minutes' public notice, drew around 100 participants before security forces intervened near Connaught Place.

According to accounts from those detained, security personnel created barricades to block media access before separating male and female protesters into groups. Detainees were reportedly told to kneel on the road before being loaded onto buses equipped with internal metal-railed cells that could be locked from the outside. AISA leader Neha Bora was among those taken into custody.

Protesters alleged mistreatment during the detention process. One 53-year-old participant claimed an officer made sectarian remarks while striking him, while three Muslim minors said they were slapped by police. AISA volunteers immediately began documenting their detention and sharing locations with legal representatives once inside the vehicles.

The incident reflects heightened security measures in central Delhi over the past week, where police have cordoned off the designated protest area at Jantar Mantar. Multiple detention buses have been stationed throughout the area, with reports of delivery workers and hospital-goers being mistakenly detained for hours after being confused for protesters.