NEW DELHI: A protester who purportedly participated in the demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has alleged that Delhi Police personnel assaulted several detainees, accessed a person’s mobile phone without consent and deleted videos and photographs after picking them up from Connaught Place.In a video circulating on social media, the man claimed that a group of people intervened after seeing male police personnel dragging a couple near Connaught Place.“We were subsequently detained and taken to an isolated location, where media personnel and other civilians were not allowed,” the man said.The protester alleged that the detainees were made to sit in rows, after which police personnel selectively asked them to hand over their mobile phones.“In one instance, an inspector forced a detainee to share his phone password, after which personnel browsed his gallery and deleted photographs and videos, including those in the recently-deleted folder,” the protester is heard saying.He further alleged that the detainee was slapped several times for refusing to cooperate.Describing the alleged assault inside a police van, the protester claimed that detainees were taken individually into a compartment, where they were slapped, kicked and thrashed. Some were also allegedly kicked in their private parts.The group was subsequently taken to a police station and later moved to another location, where their details were recorded, he said.The protester also claimed that four minors were present in one of the compartments and appeared frightened. Despite having their details, police personnel allegedly did not attend to them for nearly two hours.A detainee with a fractured hand was also allegedly denied first aid despite repeated requests. According to the protester, police personnel initially refused to provide assistance but later offered it.He further claimed that internet connectivity was shut down, hampering efforts to bring the alleged incident to public attention.The allegations could not be independently verified. Delhi Police has not responded to the charges despite multiple queries.(With Agency Inputs)
