Shahreyar Khan, a Muslim student activist at Delhi University, has alleged that he was detained and beaten by police while being subjected to Islamophobic slurs following a clash between students and police during a Students’ Union election last Friday.
Khan, a law graduate, claimed the police targeted him after the staff allegedly began abusing and assaulting students after the election concluded.
According to another law student, Arqum Illahi, Khan was detained without any clear reason and forced into a police vehicle. When another student, Annan, questioned Khan’s detention, he was also taken into custody. Their whereabouts were unknown for nearly two hours, along with a professor who intervened.
Students learned that the detainees were taken to Maurice Nagar Police Station. Illahi also claimed that the police listed the names of Khan and others in the “Unidentified Deceased Register,” which remains unexplained.
The students allege that Khan was singled out for physical assault. “He was clearly targeted because of his religion, with communal slurs hurled at him,” said Illahi.
In his complaint, Khan described the incident, stating that around 7:30pm police began pushing and abusing him and his classmates. When Khan protested, the local Deputy Commissioner of Police allegedly ordered officers to “catch him and give him a severe beating.”
Khan detailed how the police beat him “with boots and sticks,” injuring his neck, head, waist and leg. He said he lost consciousness and later found himself being dragged into a police van. When he resisted, a policeman allegedly threatened him with an “encounter” while making derogatory remarks about his religious identity.
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Khan’s professor tried to intervene but was also detained along with him. At the police station, Khan said his phone was confiscated, and no reason was given for his detention. Despite his efforts to register a report through a 112-emergency call, no action was taken.
In his complaint, Khan demanded legal action against the officers involved, accusing them of assault, abuse based on his religion, and making threats.
He is currently protesting at the police station, seeking to file an FIR — a document prepared by police which sets the criminal justice process in motion. However he claims that the police are refusing to comply.
The police have denied the allegations and said the matter is under investigation.
This incident is not isolated, as India has seen numerous reports of police brutality, especially against marginalised communities. The country’s police forces have often been criticised for their handling of protests and demonstrations, with several documented cases of excessive force.
In recent years, protests against controversial laws, such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), as well as numerous farmers’ protests, were marred by allegations of police violence.
Similarly, during the 2020 Delhi riots, there were accusations that the police not only failed to protect Muslim citizens but, in some cases, actively participated in violence.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have frequently highlighted patterns of police misconduct in India, particularly involving religious and caste-based discrimination.
Frustrated by the lack of response from authorities, Khan is considering to approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Delhi, hoping to mount legal action against the officers involved.
“I am seeking justice for the assault and the communal abuse I faced,” Khan said. “The authorities are refusing to file my complaint because it involves their own officers.”
