SFI Mumbai condemns police ‘brutality’ against students, activists during anti-SIR protests, demands inquiry

The Students Federation of India (SFI) Mumbai has condemned the police “brutality” against students, activists, who gathered near August Kranti Maidan, Grant Road, against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to the SFI Mumbai’s statement, when student protesters were stopped from reaching the August Kranti Maidan, one group began protesting at a nearby square, and the police responded with extreme brutality.

The students' protest was planned at August Kranti Maidan. However, police prevented the protesters from reaching the site and detained several activists on the way, the students’ group said.

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'SFI woman protesters dragged, push into police vehicle'

“This was not merely a student protest; students, activists and other concerned citizens had gathered to defend the democratic right to vote. SFI members and other protesters witnessed firsthand a woman protester being forcibly stripped of her bra. She was dragged towards and pushed into a police vehicle while being held by her undergarments. Protesters also witnessed women being subjected to inappropriate and sexually humiliating physical handling, including touching of their breasts, while the clothes of several women were torn,” the SFI Mumbai said in an official statement.

The students’ federation has demanded an independent inquiry into the police action, including the treatment of women protesters , and strict action against those responsible.

The SFI alleged that around 13 crore voters are reported to have been deleted across India, including approximately 3 crore in Maharashtra. Such large-scale deletion raises serious questions about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process, it added.

It has also demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with “immediate” scraping of SIR and protection of every eligible citizens’s right to vote.

It has also sought a specific inquiry into the stripping and sexual humiliation of the woman protester witnessed by those present, as well as the treatment of other women protesters whose clothes were torn and who were subjected to physical humiliation.