New Delhi: AISA national president Neha Bora was freed from the Narela Industrial Area police station on Sunday night after being detained during the organisation’s protest march towards Jantar Mantar, the third consecutive day of demonstrations demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
AISA activists alleged that Delhi Police detained Bora during the march and drove her away in an unmarked private vehicle to an undisclosed location. They also claimed that no female police officer accompanied her inside the vehicle, describing it as a violation of established norms.
A senior police officer rejected these allegations as “baseless”, and claimed that some protesters had assaulted and bitten police personnel on duty.
According to AISA members, Bora was eventually released from the Narela Industrial Area police station, but her mobile phone and bag were not returned to her. They said a team of lawyers was being sent to the police station to assist her, as reported by The New Indian Express.
After her release, Bora stated: “We are not dogs, insects or vermin. We are citizens of this country, not people who can simply be stuffed into vehicles and whisked away.”
Protest Turns Tense
The demonstration commenced at Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road, with protesters marching towards Jantar Mantar while raising slogans and attempting to breach police barricades. Brief clashes erupted between protesters and security forces as police prevented them from reaching the designated protest site.
Alleged footage circulating on social media showed Bora trying to climb over a barricade as police officials attempted to stop her.
AISA, AAP, IYC Protesters Detained
Police sources said around 250 people, including AISA, AAP and Indian Youth Congress workers and activist Yogendra Yadav, were detained on Sunday. Bora, who was taken to Narela police station, was released in the evening, police said.
This besides, more than a dozen Aam Aadmi Party workers were detained by police while protesting at India Gate for Kumar’s resignation. Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and party MLA Sanjeev Jha were among those detained.
A police officer said at least 25 AAP workers were detained during the protest.
Bharadwaj alleged on X that Delhi Police turned him upside down at India Gate to prevent cameras from capturing his face. “These are my shoes in the air,” he said, sharing a photograph.
Jha said concerns over voting rights should be addressed through transparency and facts rather than “silence, pressure or police action”.
The protest is part of broader agitation in multiple cities across India over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s functioning, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and purported mass voter deletions.
Sunday’s protest came a day after over 150 demonstrators were detained in Delhi. On Friday, more than 500 protesters, including student activists and political leaders, were held during demonstrations in central Delhi. Bora, AAP leaders and activist Yogendra Yadav were among those detained.
Police had denied permission for Friday’s gathering and tightened security in central Delhi. Several roads to Jantar Mantar were barricaded and some metro stations were temporarily closed.
The protests follow an Indian Express report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected at least 14 times in 10 months to SIR-related decisions, saying these were taken without their knowledge or recommendation.
The poll panel has said differing views are part of normal institutional deliberations and maintained that all its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.