India Gate protest: Two-day police custody for four accused; student alleges sexual harassment by male police officers | India News

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday remanded four students to two-day police custody and sent 13 others to one-day judicial custody for allegedly raising pro-Maoist slogans during last week’s anti-pollution protest at India Gate.Also Read | Hidma slogans raised, pepper spray used: FIR alleges pre-planned Delhi pollution stir; WhatsApp group under police lensWhile being taken to court, one of the students alleged sexual harassment by male Delhi Police officers in custody. “We were harassed by male police officers… we were sexually harassed. We were subjected to fake medical tests. I was groped by male police officers,” she said.Judicial Magistrate Sahil Monga on Thursday heard the case registered at the Sansad Marg police station against 17 accused students — including 11 women — for multiple offences under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), such as disobedience to a public servant’s order, assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant, obstruction, conspiracy to commit offences against the State, and wrongful restraint. The Delhi Police sought seven-day custody of five accused for further investigation, and requested an extension of judicial custody for the remaining twelve. On November 23, a total of 23 students were arrested after two FIRs were lodged at the Kartavya Path and Parliament Street police stations in connection with the incident. They are accused of raising slogans and displaying posters in support of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was killed on November 19 in an exchange of fire with security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Maredumilli forest area in the East Godavari district.Also Read | Who was Madvi Hidma? Top Maoist leader wanted across states and by NIA, killed in Andhra Pradesh encounter According to police, the group also used pepper spray on personnel who attempted to restrain them.