John Brittas alleges assault after Delhi protest detention

Rajya Sabha member John Brittas was detained during protests in Delhi on October 11 and later released, after which he alleged police personnel assaulted him while he was in custody. The reports agree on his detention and release; the circumstances and cause of injuries shown in footage shared by his party are not established by the video. Brittas said four police personnel assaulted him inside a police bus, pushed him beneath a seat and pressed his face down. He said he had identified himself as a member of Parliament, and that he was later left by the roadside and returned by autorickshaw. Those details are his account of what happened in custody. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), shared footage that appeared to show Brittas injured beside a police vehicle. The footage does not establish when he was injured or how. One report said he was detained on both October 10 and October 11; the detention described in the reports took place as he spoke to reporters during Sunday’s demonstration. The protests called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.