Indian police accused of targeting student activists with enforced disappearances, abuse
Civil society groups demand independent probe after student activists allegedly abducted, beaten, and denied legal rights
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A coalition of 29 civil society and diasporic organizations has accused Indian authorities of carrying out enforced disappearances and custodial torture against student and youth activists in mid-July, triggering renewed calls for accountability and international scrutiny.
The groups allege that multiple activists affiliated with leftist student organizations—such as the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM) and the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization (FACAM)—were forcibly picked up from various locations in Delhi and neighboring Haryana between July 9 and July 19.
Detainees were reportedly held without arrest warrants, denied access to lawyers, and not produced before a magistrate within the timeframe mandated by law.
According to the joint statement, the detainees were taken by Delhi Police, specifically units believed to be operating under the Special Cell, and held at a police station in New Friends Colony, a residential area in South Delhi.
There, they were allegedly subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. Allegations include beatings, electrocution, threats of sexual violence, and degrading treatment such as being stripped naked and submerged in toilet bowls. Female activists reported threats of rape using metal rods.
“These actions constitute serious violations of both Indian constitutional rights and international human rights treaties,” the statement read, warning that such abuses are becoming increasingly routine in India’s policing of political dissent.
One of the survivors, a student activist named Baadal, shared her account with Maktoob Media, recounting how she was abducted by Delhi Police without prior notice upon returning to the capital.
“For a week, we were held in separate cells and tortured,” she said. “We were beaten. Men more than women, but everyone was assaulted. I was harassed verbally, and a drunk officer tried to touch me inappropriately.”
The coalition argues that these incidents are part of a broader crackdown on dissenting voices—particularly youth, students, and activists working in or speaking out about militarized and marginalized regions such as Kashmir, Bastar, and Manipur.
They also criticized recent rhetoric from Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who have framed civil society organizations as threats to national security.
Among the signatories to the statement are Hindus for Human Rights (UK and USA), Indian Workers Association (GB), the Indian American Muslim Council, and student and academic networks across Europe and North America.
The groups assert that the lack of arrest records, judicial oversight, or communication with families and lawyers amounts to a flagrant violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a signatory.
The statement calls for an immediate independent investigation, prosecution of those responsible, and international attention to what it describes as a dangerous trend of state violence being normalized under the guise of democratic governance.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
