On Thursday, Kerala Police registered a zero FIR at the Museum police station in Thiruvananthapuram for an alleged assault on NSUI activist Athira Vijayan during a flash protest at Connaught Place, Delhi, on Oct 13. The complaint, filed by Vijayan herself, claims she was forcibly dragged onto the road, slapped, and threatened after being taken on a police bus. Delhi Police has already opened a separate case against NSUI women workers for a scuffle inside a detention bus during the same protest.
Vijayan said the assailants struck her face, held her arms behind her back, kicked her in the lower abdomen, and tightened a shawl around her neck while threatening to kill her. She suffered neck injuries that required hospital treatment, a detail the FIR cites under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita that cover assault with intent to outrage modesty and criminal intimidation. The FIR does not name any police officer or individual as the accused, a move Kerala Police says is permissible under the law.
Delhi Police’s FIR against the NSUI women workers was prompted by a video that circulated online, allegedly showing a female officer pulling an activist by the hair and placing her on the bus. NSUI demanded accountability and requested access to CCTV footage from the Connaught Place police station, arguing that the officers involved had violated their rights. The protest, part of a broader campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, has drawn criticism from opposition parties.
Kerala Police has announced that the investigation will be transferred to the appropriate Delhi police station, where the case will be examined for any involvement of law enforcement officials. Vijayan, who was treated for neck injuries at a local hospital, said she remains anxious about the outcome, reflecting the broader frustration of students who feel targeted by authorities. The next hearing is set for early next week, with both parties expecting the Delhi police to publish their findings.