By Nikita Jain

The recent arrests of student activists in Delhi have raised serious concerns about the safety of human rights advocates and student activists in the country.

The accounts of torture endured by the students have shaken the fraternity, prompting student unions from Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University to stage a protest on Monday.

Maktoob spoke to Baadal, one of the arrested activists, who recently completed her education. She is also a member of the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization (FACAM), a joint platform of various organizations and individuals—students, lawyers, women’s rights groups, minority rights groups, academics, teachers, intellectuals, trade unions, labour rights groups, journalists, and writers—based in Delhi.

Arrested for nearly a week over a missing complaint FIR registered against them, Baadal was released on July 18. “I was in my hometown, but the moment I returned to Delhi, officers from Delhi’s Special Cell took me away without any prior notice,” she said.

For a week, Baadal and others were held in separate cells, where they allege they were subjected to torture and police brutality. “We were beaten up. Men more than women, but everyone was assaulted. I was verbally harassed, and a drunk police officer also tried to touch me inappropriately,” she said.

The student activist said they have no idea why they were picked up. According to one of the lawyers associated with the case, the police are attempting to frame an “urban Naxal” conspiracy against them. Maktoob, however, has not found any details regarding this claim so far.

“The first three days were the worst. We could hear the shrieks of others in our cells. My comrade Ehtmam Ul Haque, a Jamia graduate, endured the most brutality because of his identity. He was blindfolded, given electric shocks, and beaten so severely he couldn’t stand,” the lawyer said.

Haque was also stripped and beaten to the point where “he was unable to get up on his own.” He was subjected to other forms of torture as well.

According to the lawyer, who did not wish to be named, officials also hurled communal slurs at Haque, using derogatory language for Muslims. “They said Muslims only want to impregnate girls so they give birth to ten children. His family was also harassed,” the lawyer added.

This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.