Delhi Police personnel allegedly warned students in north Delhi paying guest accommodation and around university-linked spaces against attending an October 10 protest, telling them that participation could result in detention and harm their future employment prospects, according to students quoted by the Times of India.
The reported outreach took place at a paying guest accommodation in Shakti Nagar, where about 50 residents attended what they expected to be a routine safety session. One Delhi University student said three police personnel addressed the gathering for around 25 minutes and urged students to focus on their studies and careers. The student alleged that officers described the proposed demonstration as illegal and warned that participants could be detained and face difficulties securing jobs later.
The account followed earlier police visits focused on safety after the collapse of a building in Satya Niketan. According to the student, an officer had previously shared contact numbers for assistance, leading residents to believe that the latest visit would also concern building safety. The student said the new meeting was arranged unexpectedly despite a recent monthly visit.
The Shakti Nagar paying guest accommodation houses about 120 residents, the student said. Another student alleged that police personnel prevented him from recording the meeting while constables filmed it. Students also claimed that police outreach had extended to informal gatherings, private coaching centres and college societies, with videos of visits circulating in campus WhatsApp groups.
A senior police officer described the activity as an outreach programme intended to advise students to focus on their careers and avoid activities that could disrupt law and order. The report said Delhi Police had sought assistance from university and college administrations and paying guest owners to discourage students from joining a proposed demonstration seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Students said police personnel had approached groups in North Campus and asked about their plans, including how many people from their area were likely to attend the demonstration. One Delhi University student described the reported activity as unusual, saying police typically coordinate with student groups during gatherings but had appeared to be advising them against participating this time. The student also alleged that officers referred to possible violations of a code of conduct.
The reported outreach was not limited to Delhi, according to the article. A member of the All India Students’ Federation said police began calling him before he travelled from Mumbai and asked about his travel plans. He alleged that police appeared to have identified student organisations whose movements they wanted to monitor.
The accounts raise questions about the boundary between preventive public-order communication and efforts to deter lawful participation in a demonstration. The report did not include an independent police statement addressing the students’ specific allegations about detention warnings, employment consequences or filming. The proposed protest is scheduled for October 10, according to the report.
