Activists allege police action ahead of October 10 anti-SIR protest

New Delhi: Student groups, political organisations and civil society activists have alleged that police in several states detained, assaulted or tried to restrict the movement of protesters ahead of a demonstration in Delhi on October 10.

The protest has been called against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The allegations have not been independently verified.

The All India Students’ Federation (AISF) said police attempted to remove its delegation from the Goa Express while the students were travelling from Pune to Delhi. According to the organisation, eight to 10 personnel entered their compartment at Bhusawal and sought to detain them.

AISF Pune district convener Shravani alleged that the officers, including Police Inspector Govind Pathak and police officer Minal Tayade, failed to produce detention warrants or provide a legal explanation. The students refused to leave the train, the organisation said.

AISF also claimed that the train was running more than seven hours late and had been diverted through Uttar Pradesh. It linked the alleged police action to the students’ planned participation in Saturday’s protest.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) alleged that its national spokesperson, Deepak Baliyan, was assaulted and detained during a police operation at his home in Mankhera village in Rajasthan’s Alwar district.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke claimed that police first visited Baliyan’s residence at around 8 p.m. and later returned, asking him to delete an Instagram Live video showing the police presence. The organisation alleged that officers subsequently dragged him from the house and took him to an undisclosed location despite his family informing them that he was recovering from a leg fracture.

CJP also alleged that Baliyan’s younger brother, Aniruddh, was assaulted when he tried to record the incident, while his mother, Suman Devi, was pushed when she attempted to prevent the detention. The organisation described Baliyan’s custody as illegal.

Dipke further alleged that CJP volunteers travelling from Telangana were detained by Madhya Pradesh Police in Bhopal. The number of volunteers and their current status were not disclosed.

In Mumbai, civil society activists Feroze Mithiborwala and Salim Saboowala were allegedly detained by police on Thursday and released after being told to remain in the city, according to Hum Bharat Ke Log convenor Guddi L.

She said the action could be linked to the activists’ participation in an October 2 demonstration, although neither had planned to travel to Delhi. Hum Bharat Ke Log described the alleged detentions as an attempt to prevent participation in Saturday’s protest.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) also alleged that Delhi Police personnel carrying lathis visited its office at HKS Surjeet Bhawan and sought details of activists travelling to the capital for the demonstration.

SFI accused the BJP-RSS of using the police to intimidate protesters and said it would participate in the mobilisation in large numbers.

The police departments concerned had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.