Student activists 'beaten up brutally' during interrogation after illegal detention: CASR

By A Representative

Four student activists associated with the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM) were allegedly beaten after being illegally detained by Delhi Police and intelligence agencies, according to a press statement released by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR).

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of February 4th at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The students – Gaurav, Gauraang, Rahul, and Kiran – were detained by JNU security for writing wall graffiti concerning military operations in Bastar, alleged false encounters, and corporate resource exploitation. They were then handed over to the Vasant Kunj Police.

CASR alleges that the students were brutally beaten during interrogation at the Vasant Kunj Police Station. Gauraang reportedly suffered bleeding in his ears after a 30-minute beating, and Gaurav was also allegedly assaulted. CASR's statement names Sub Inspector Vinay Bhardwaj of the Vasant Kunj South police station as one of the officers involved.

The press release further claims that the students were illegally interrogated by members of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) at the police station, despite the case only involving alleged defacement of public property and trespassing. CASR condemned the involvement of these agencies in what it considers a matter of basic political expression.

CASR argues that the students' detention violates Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. They assert that the wall writings were a legitimate form of protest against state actions in Bastar, including Operation Kagaar, which CASR describes as an undeclared war on the people. The organization also criticizes the alleged corporate exploitation of resources in the region.

The press statement further alleges that the students' detention violated Article 21, concerning personal liberty, as they were detained without legal justification, their phones were confiscated, and their whereabouts were concealed. CASR also claims that the alleged physical abuse constitutes a breach of Article 21's prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, and a violation of India's international human rights commitments.

CASR calls for a thorough investigation into the alleged abuse, particularly the treatment of Gauraang and Gaurav, and demands disciplinary action against the responsible officers. They also demand the cessation of Operation Kagaar and the protection of democratic expression within universities.

Authorities have yet to respond to the allegations.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Search This Blog