Bleeding voices at Ramlila: SSC aspirants allege police brutality

"We spend years preparing, only to find the exam cancelled or mismanaged. This is not just about one paper; it is about our futures"

- ANAMTA FATIMA & PRAJYOT DEOGHARE

NEW DELHI: The Ramlila Maidan in Delhi turned into the epicenter of anger and anguish on Sunday as thousands of SSC aspirants and teachers gathered to protest what they called "systemic mismanagement" in the conduct of examinations. While the demonstration began under permission and strict conditions, it ended in detentions, injuries, and a war of words between the police and protestors, raising questions about the State's handling of student dissent.

According to police estimates, nearly 1,500 protestors assembled at the ground despite the sanctioned cap of 1,000. The protest, permitted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., was to be held peacefully without overnight stay. Yet, when hundreds refused to disperse after the stipulated time, the Delhi Police invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), declaring the assembly unlawful. Officials stated that 44 individuals, including several teachers, were detained and later released.