Guwahati: Three women journalists have alleged sexual harassment and misconduct by Delhi Police personnel during a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, prompting the Delhi Police to transfer their complaints to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry”.
One of the journalists alleged that an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) sexually assaulted her while she was covering police action during the protest, which was held over demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to her allegation, the police officer touched her inappropriately and pushed her away while she was recording the proceedings. She further claimed that she and other journalists subsequently approached a police station to lodge a complaint, but the case was not registered immediately.
The Delhi Police, meanwhile, confirmed that it had received complaints from the journalists and said they had been transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry”.
The allegations have also drawn concern from the Press Council of India, which expressed “shock and dismay” over the reported treatment of journalists during the protest.
The council said such conduct should not be normalised in a democracy and stressed that journalists must be able to carry out their professional duties without fear or intimidation.
The Press Council urged the Delhi Police to act promptly on the complaint lodged by the woman journalist and ensure that media personnel are provided adequate space to report from protests and other public gatherings without facing aggression or threats.
The issue also drew a political response from senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who sought an explanation from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the allegations of misconduct involving women during the protest.
In a post on X, Gandhi said the Delhi Police functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs and questioned why an FIR had not been registered despite journalists allegedly demanding one for several hours.
He also alleged that hundreds of people were detained at Jantar Mantar on Saturday and claimed that women protesters faced misconduct, while journalists were allegedly dragged and their cameras snatched.
Gandhi further referred to earlier instances in which, he alleged, video evidence had shown police personnel engaging in misconduct with women.
He said women and students in Delhi were protesting over concerns about their safety, while questioning the conduct of the police force responsible for protecting them.
The allegations against the police have not been independently verified. The Crime Branch inquiry is expected to examine the complaints and circumstances surrounding the alleged incidents.