‘No place to breathe’: AISA’s Neha Bora detained again, alleges police brutality

AISA president Neha Bora was detained again on Sunday during protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and alleged that Delhi Police were using detention buses with separate cells to hold demonstrators in cramped conditions. In a video shared on social media, Bora claimed that the buses had four “cells” and alleged that there was barely any room to breathe inside them. She also accused police personnel of abusing and kicking male protesters.

“This is the bus. The bus has 4 ‘cells’, There is no place to breath,” Bora said, alleging that the detention facilities were being used like jails. “Are detention buses being turned into jail? CRPF is waging war against common people of the country. Why so much violence just because you want to protect Gyanesh Kumar?” she added.

Bora was detained along with other protesters near Vijay Chowk as demonstrators attempted to march towards Jantar Mantar amid heavy security deployment across the capital. Visuals showed the AISA president raising slogans alongside other members before protesters ran as security personnel moved in to stop them. Several demonstrators were subsequently taken into custody. More than 100 protesters were detained at various locations across Delhi on Sunday as members of student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), AISA and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), joined the protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas was also among those detained, according to police sources. The SFI alleged that its activists had been assaulted inside cage-like police vans. It also claimed that Brittas was attacked by police personnel and later left by the roadside in an injured condition. The organisation further alleged that Father Biju Xavier, vicar of Sacred Heart Church in Delhi, was detained while recording alleged police violence.

The detentions came amid extensive security arrangements, with more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed across Delhi to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.