Rohtak Student Leader Alleges Police Lathi-Charge, Dragging of Protesters During Delhi Demonstration

October 13, 2026

New Delhi/Rohtak: Amit Pilana, state vice-president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) from Rohtak, has alleged that police used batons, dragged protesters along the road and mistreated women during the October 10 demonstration near Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to Pilana, young protesters faced multiple layers of police barricading as they attempted to reach Jantar Mantar. Despite heavy police surveillance, a group of demonstrators managed to reach a point around 800 metres from the protest site before being stopped by police.

Pilana alleged that police resorted to a lathi-charge, detained protesters and took them to Maharaja Surajmal Stadium in Nangloi. He said the protesters were released in batches at around 7 pm.

Reaching Delhi Amid Heavy Police Surveillance

Pilana recounted that reaching Harkishan Surjeet (HKS) Bhawan from New Delhi Railway Station proved difficult because of the heavy police presence in the area.

He said he arrived at the railway station at night and found police deployed outside. After managing to leave the station while avoiding detection, he reached HKS Bhawan.

According to Pilana, police surrounded the building after learning that young protesters were gathering there. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the premises, prompting the group to leave HKS Bhawan and move to AK Gopalan Bhawan.

He alleged that police surrounded them again at the second location, restricting their movement ahead of the planned demonstration.

500–600 Protesters Breach Barricades

Pilana said that on October 10, a crowd of around 500–600 people emerged from AK Gopalan Bhawan while raising slogans and moved towards Jantar Mantar. The demonstrators allegedly broke through several layers of police barricades and reached a point approximately 800 metres from the site.

He claimed that police then used batons to disperse and detain the protesters. According to him, some demonstrators suffered injuries to their backs, hands and ears during the alleged lathi-charge.

Pilana further alleged that injured protesters were dragged along the road and placed in buses for detention. He also accused police personnel of verbally abusing women protesters.

These allegations were made by Pilana while recounting the events surrounding the demonstration.

Protesters Detained at Maharaja Surajmal Stadium

According to Pilana, the detained protesters were taken to Maharaja Surajmal Stadium in Nangloi, where more than 300 members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were already being held.

He alleged that police had also confiscated the protesters’ mobile phones. When officers attempted to take their phones, some protesters refused to hand them over.

Pilana said the detainees subsequently began a sit-in protest at the stadium to oppose what they described as inhumane treatment. The protest began with the National Anthem.

He said that when police started releasing detainees in batches at around 7 pm, officers indicated that women would be released first. According to Pilana, the women refused to leave separately, insisting that everyone should be released together. He claimed that the police eventually released the protesters together.

SFI Leader Raises Concerns Over SIR and Voting Rights

Pilana also criticised the BJP-led government over the issue of electoral-roll revision and alleged deletion of voters’ names.

He claimed that 115,000 votes had been deleted in Rohtak and said young people had received notices and faced the loss of their voting rights. He linked these concerns to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

Pilana further alleged that the BJP was protecting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He argued that Kumar held an independent constitutional position but claimed that the ruling party’s actions gave the impression that the Election Commission was favouring a particular political party.

These remarks reflect Pilana’s allegations and political views. The claims regarding voter deletions and the conduct of police require independent verification.

Amit Pilana’s Role in Student Movements

Amit Pilana is associated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), a left-wing student organisation, and serves as its district secretary and state vice-president, according to the information provided.

He has been active in student movements at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) in Rohtak and in other parts of Haryana. Pilana said he participated in a CJP protest in Delhi for the third time and reiterated the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

The October 10 demonstration took place amid heightened security and restrictions on protests at Jantar Mantar, following the decision to remove the site from the list of designated protest locations.