On February 4, 2025, police severely beat four students from Delhi University  after arresting them on Jawaharlal Nehru University’s campus. The students were affiliated with Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), a pro-democracy student group.

On the night of February 3, campus security guards found the four students as they were painting murals expressing opposition to an ongoing military operation against Maoists groups. The security guards alerted local police, who arrived at 3AM and arrested the students. 

While the students were in custody, police severely beat them. One was reportedly beaten for over 30 minutes, leading to bleeding in his ears. Members of the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau arrived afterwards and interrogated the students, accusing them of trespassing and defacement. 

According to BSCEM, this incident was part of a broader trend of government crackdowns on alleged Maoist activity or sympathies on university campuses. 

Scholars at Risk is concerned by the beating of students during their detention for exercising the right to freedom of expression. While state authorities have an obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of students and university personnel and should endeavor to prevent disruptions that inappropriately inhibit the functioning of or access to higher education, they must do so consistent with their responsibility to ensure academic freedom and free expression on campus. The punishment of nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://dazibaorojo08.blogspot.com/2025/02/india-casr-strongly-condemns-action-of.html
https://sabrangindia.in/du-2025-crackdown-students-detained-allegedly-tortured/ |
https://maktoobmedia.com/india/delhi-university-students-detained-by-delhi-police-over-wall-paintings-on-bastar-killings/