Four students from Delhi University were allegedly detained by Delhi Police for making wall murals that called out on ‘Operation Kaagar’ and the recent civilian casualties in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region. The students, affiliated with the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), were picked up from the university campus in the early hours of February 4.
According to Baadal, a BSCEM member, the detained students—identified as Gaurav, Gauraang, Kiran, and Rahul—were subjected to physical assault while in custody. “We arrived at Vasant Kunj Police Station, where they had been taken, and learned that they were brutally beaten. We were also informed that officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) are questioning them,” Baadal told Maktoob.
A statement released by BSCEM alleged that the students were painting murals inside the campus on the night of February 3 when they were apprehended by security guards, who then alerted the police. “The students were raising awareness on the killing of Maoists and Adivasis in Bastar, particularly in the Maad region, under Operation Kaagar—a military crackdown that is part of the broader Surajkund Scheme, initiated in 2022 under the BJP-led NDA government,” the statement read.
The organization further condemned the prolonged detention, calling it “illegal” and an attack on democratic rights. “The police have kept the students in custody for over 10 hours. When other members of BSCEM reached the station, they discovered that intelligence agencies had become involved and were conducting an unauthorized investigation. These arrests come at a time when global discussions on state violence and human rights violations are gaining momentum,” the statement added.
However, police officials denied the claims. When contacted by Maktoob, Vasant Kunj Police Station SHO Inspector Balbir Singh dismissed the allegations, stating, “Nothing like that is happening here.”
Despite the official denial, students allege that authorities are deliberately concealing details of the detentions and investigations.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.
