Bangalore: India-based human rights organization, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has condemned the Delhi police for allegedly targeting Nadeem Khan, a prominent human rights activist known for his work against hate crimes and mob lynchings in India.

According to Kashmir Media Service, PUCL issued a statement in New Delhi detailing the incident that took place on November 30. The statement claims that Nadeem Khan was coerced and intimidated by officers from the Delhi Police while he was at his brother’s residence in Bangalore. The confrontation reportedly involved four officers, including the Station House Officer from the Shaheen Bagh police station, who arrived without a warrant or prior notice and demanded Khan accompany them to Delhi for questioning.

The statement further claims that the officers spent nearly six hours pressuring Khan and his family despite the absence of a legal warrant or adherence to due process. PUCL criticized this action as part of a larger pattern of harassment against Khan, who is also the National General Secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).

PUCL’s statement highlighted concerns about an FIR filed against Khan’s activism, which has been criticized by right-wing Hindutva social media users for his outspoken stance on police actions and alleged state complicity in violence. The organization described the situation as an attack on freedom of speech and an attempt to criminalize advocacy for civil liberties and constitutional rights. PUCL has called for the immediate dismissal of the FIR and an end to Khan’s harassment.