Neha Bora Alleges Police Abuse During Delhi Protest Detention

Security restrictions and repeated detentions intensified tensions in New Delhi as student activists joined demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Neha Bora, president of the All India Students' Association (AISA), was detained again on Sunday near Vijay Chowk while protesters attempted to march toward Jantar Mantar, according to The Times of India.

Bora accused Delhi Police of using overcrowded detention buses and mistreating demonstrators. In a video shared on social media, they described cramped conditions inside the vehicles and alleged that police personnel abused and kicked male protesters.

In the video, Bora described the conditions inside a detention bus.

"This is the bus. The bus has 4 'cells', There is no place to breath," said Neha Bora, AISA president.

Bora questioned the use of the buses to hold protesters and accused security personnel of excessive force during the demonstrations.

"Are detention buses being turned into jail? CRPF is waging war against common people of the country. Why so much violence just because you want to protect Gyanesh Kumar?" said Neha Bora, AISA president.

Videos from the protest showed Bora raising slogans alongside other AISA members before demonstrators ran as security personnel moved in to stop them. Several protesters were subsequently taken into custody, The Times of India reported.

Bora's detention follows months of growing public attention surrounding their activism. A BBC profile published on October 9 described the 29-year-old doctoral student as a prominent figure in India's youth-led protest movement. Bora is a theatre artist who has been involved with AISA for approximately a decade and has served as its president for two years.

Bora uses they/them pronouns and is pursuing a PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University after completing undergraduate studies at Delhi University and a master's degree at Ambedkar University in New Delhi.

In an interview with BBC Bangla, Bora said media attention had amplified the visibility of actions that student activists had undertaken for years.

"I know it happened in front of the camera so it seems like it's something different," said Neha Bora.

Bora explained that their actions reflected a broader tradition of activism within left-wing student organizations rather than an unusual personal approach to protest.

"But I have seen all student activists with the Left doing the same things that I have been doing. It's just that there is a camera on me, so people think something different is happening." said Neha Bora.

Bora first attracted wider attention during protests organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led online satirical movement that challenged education reforms. The demonstrations continued for weeks and ended in July after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, according to the BBC.

On June 28, educationist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike in support of the movement. Bora and other AISA members joined the protest, citing their longstanding opposition to examination paper leaks and education reforms.

Explaining their decision to participate, Bora connected the demonstration to their organization's previous campaigns.

"It was an obvious choice for us. We've been protesting against paper leaks and education reforms for a long time," said Neha Bora.

After Wangchuk and other participants were transferred to a hospital, Bora continued fasting despite losing 8kg. In a video recorded after being moved to the hospital, Bora pledged to resume demonstrations after recovering.

"The fight continues. Once I've recovered, we'll meet you again on the streets to continue our fight for our right." said Neha Bora.

The BBC reported that Bora's growing public profile has extended beyond student politics, with appearances alongside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at press conferences. Their activism has also drawn opposition from political figures affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

At least three police complaints against Bora were filed in Uttar Pradesh last month by BJP members over remarks described as objectionable toward the state's chief minister. The complaints came two days after AISA filed a police complaint alleging that Bora had received death threats.

Bora also made headlines after a man allegedly threw ink at them during a protest march in Jharkhand. Police said they had detained the man.

The latest demonstrations center on allegations that electoral rolls were manipulated to favor the BJP. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected the accusations, according to the BBC. CJP called for Kumar's resignation, while AISA said it would participate in the protests.

In discussing the role of demonstrations in India's political life, Bora told BBC Bangla that street movements had historically influenced social and political change.

"The streets have always dictated the course of politics in this country and they will continue to do so, more so in the coming few years," said Neha Bora.

Bora argued that major social changes had often emerged from public movements rather than parliamentary activity.

"If we look at the social changes of the recent past, those social changes did not come from people sitting in parliament; they came from the streets," said Neha Bora.

The protests have unfolded amid wider demonstrations over education policy and electoral reforms, including separate actions by opposition parties. AISA and CJP have both pledged continued participation in demonstrations challenging Kumar's leadership and raising concerns about electoral integrity.