New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Delhi Police of using excessive force against student activists and Youth Congress workers detained during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Addressing a press conference, Gandhi presented several injured protesters and alleged that a Delhi University student from Kerala had permanently lost hearing in one ear after being struck by police personnel. He called for accountability, claiming the incident reflected a serious misuse of authority during the demonstrations.

Several protesters shared their accounts of the alleged police action during the press conference. A student identified as Athira claimed she was detained in a police bus without any female officers present and was repeatedly slapped after requesting the presence of a woman constable. Another NSUI activist alleged that she was physically assaulted by a female police officer, sustaining injuries to her face and ear, while others claimed they were beaten inside police stations, assaulted during transportation, and deprived of their mobile phones and personal belongings. Some protesters also alleged that videos recorded on their phones were deleted, though these claims have not been independently verified.

The protests were organised by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Indian Youth Congress, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the electoral roll revision exercise. Gandhi urged students to preserve video evidence of any alleged misconduct and said the Congress would seek legal accountability once the protest movement concludes. At the time of publication, Delhi Police had not issued a detailed response to the specific allegations raised during the press conference, and the claims remain the protesters’ version of events.