File photo of Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar.
| Photo Credit: ANI
All India Congress Committee in-charge of the National Students’ Union of India, Kanhaiya Kumar, was arrested by Delhi Police from the premises of Kerala House here on Friday (July 24, 2026). He was arrested on the complaint of the Resident Commissioner of Kerala Puneet Kumar. NSUI is the Congress’ students’ wing.
A source in the Kerala House told The Hindu that Mr. Kumar came to the Kerala House to a room apparently booked in his friend’s name. The authorities said no room is vacant and he approached the Resident Commissioner for clarification. “There was an altercation between both of them and the Resident Commissioner called the Delhi Police and asked them to remove Mr. Kumar from the premises,” said the source.
‘Governor to arrive’
Mr. Kumar, during his detention, told reporters that he was informed that Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar would be arriving at Kerala House during the day. “Governor was coming, and Governor is King,” he said, mocking the Resident Commissioner’s comments, while adding that he came to meet a friend at Kerala House. “This is the behaviour of [Union Home Minister] Amit Shah and the Delhi Police,” he said criticising his arrest.
Mr. Kumar’s office said the Congress leader was taken to Jaffarpur Kalan police station in southwest Delhi where he is currently detained. “We are yet to get more details. We are sending legal help to him,” his office informed.
Mr. Puneet Kumar did not respond to the messages seeking a comment on the Congress leader’s arrest.
Kerala House is in Jantar Mantar Road, where students and youth are protesting against the Union government. Earlier, when wrestlers were protesting seeking removal of former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the erstwhile Kerala government had provided facilities in Kerala House for wrestlers to freshen up, inviting criticism from people sympathising with the Centre. Kanhaiya Kumar, a former president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, has been a prominent voice raising problems faced by students, including paper leaks and unemployment.
Published – July 25, 2026 12:11 am IST
