The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a coalition of civil society organisations, student groups, trade unions, lawyers, and activists in India has alleged that 10 activists and students from New Delhi have been abducted and their whereabouts are unknown. CASR has alleged that these individuals were abducted by either police or state-related agencies.

Raising serious concerns over civil liberties and the safety of activists in India, CASR shared details of the abducted individuals, including when and from where they were taken.

Details of the alleged abduction

According to CASR information, two people who allegedly went missing are Ilakkiya and Shiv Kumar, she is a Delhi University student pursuing a Master’s degree in Psychology. On March 12, she came to the campus along with labour rights activist Shiv Kumar. The duo had gone to the campus to meet a faculty member of Dyal Singh College and discuss the Anti-Imperialism Week programme. The duo was abducted outside the campus. An eyewitness to the abduction shared that the girl was forced into a Scorpio vehicle fitted with VIP lights. It is believed that Shiv Kumar had already been placed inside the vehicle earlier.

Another activist, Manjeet, also went missing. He went missing right after returning from a programme organised by CASR. Releasing the list of the names of the activists who have gone missing, the organisation alleged that several more students and activists went missing that same evening. The names of the missing people are Akshay, Drishti, Rudra, Kiran, and Gaurav, Badal and Ehtemam.

Why have these activists been targeted?

Shiv Kumar, among the missing people was arrested in 2020-21 during the farmers’ protest. He was arrested along with Nodeep Kaur from the Singhu Border. After his release, Shiv openly shared how he faced custodial torture. Justice Deepak Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court even stated in a report that Shiv Kumar was held illegally and tortured. Similarly, Kiran and Akshay were arrested last November during the protest against severe air pollution near India Gate, they were jailed in Tihar for a month.

What does CASR have to say?

CASR organisation expressed concern as such incidents have been increasing, earlier activists Ehtemam, Badal and Gaurav were detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell. Such illegal arrests are a direct threat to democratic rights, said the organization’s spokesperson.

“Where are Ilakkiya, Shiv Kumar, Manjeet, Akshay, Drishti, Rudra, Kiran, Gaurav, Badal and Ehtemam?” CASR asked, urging authorities to immediately disclose the location of the allegedly abducted activists and students.