Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Left Leaders Detained as Students Announce Hunger Strike
Left leaders, students and other activists tried to join a protest in New Delhi.
They wanted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
They said there were problems with a process to update voter lists.
Police detained several leaders and protesters as they tried to reach the protest.
Around 300 students were held at Nangloi Stadium.
A lawmaker and student activists there announced a hunger strike.
The CPI(M) said police treated protesters roughly and stopped them from demonstrating.
It asked for the detainees to be released and the voter-list revision to stop.
The report does not include a response from police to these allegations.
Several Left leaders, including Pinarayi Vijayan, Manik Sarkar, M A Baby and Brinda Karat, were detained while trying to reach a protest at Jantar Mantar.
The protest called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged irregularities in the electoral-roll revision.
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, AISA president Neha, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were also detained during a separate march.
Around 300 students were detained at Nangloi Stadium, where Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim and SFI activists announced a hunger strike.
The CPI(M) alleged police manhandled protesters and restricted their right to demonstrate; it called for Kumar's removal, a halt to the revision and the release of detainees.
- Who
- Left leaders, student activists and other protesters; detainees included Pinarayi Vijayan, Manik Sarkar, M A Baby and Brinda Karat.
- What
- Police detained people trying to reach protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation; A A Rahim and SFI activists announced a hunger strike.
- When
- Saturday, October 10; the report does not specify a year.
- Where
- New Delhi, including outside Kerala Bhawan, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana and Nangloi Stadium.
- Why
- Protesters cited alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and sought Kumar's resignation.
Protesters and CPI(M)
Police and authorities
Detentions and access to protest
Protesters and CPI(M)
The CPI(M) said police turned the capital into a fortress, detained people approaching the protest and denied permission to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar.
Police and authorities
The report describes detentions, barricades and security restrictions but gives no response from police or authorities.
Police conduct
Protesters and CPI(M)
The CPI(M) alleged police manhandled protesters and injured some; protesters also accused an inspector of misbehaving with students.
Police and authorities
The report does not include a police account of the alleged conduct.
- Protest demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Issue cited
- Alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Reported student detentions
- Around 300 students were detained at Nangloi Stadium
- Hunger strike
- Announced by Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim and detained SFI activists
- Other protest demands
- Action against and an apology from a Delhi Police inspector, and the return of phones and bags protesters said police took
- CPI(M) demands
- Kumar's removal, a halt to the SIR exercise and the release of all detained protesters
