Journalists’ bodies condemn alleged assault of two women reporters at Saket police station

Several journalists’ bodies condemned the alleged assault of freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan at Delhi’s Saket police station. They demanded action and an independent probe, while Delhi Police denied the allegations, saying the women were detained for obstructing a VVIP route

New Delhi: Several journalists’ bodies on Thursday condemned the alleged assault on two freelance women journalists at the Saket police station here and demanded action against the personnel involved. The Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Delhi Union of Journalists, the Press Association and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists also urged Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to order a “free and fair investigation” into the incident.

The two journalists, Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan, have alleged that they were detained and subsequently assaulted at the Saket police station after they went to cover the inauguration of a new wing at Max Hospital in Saket by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the press bodies said in a joint statement.

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“The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association, and Kerala Union of Working Journalists strongly condemn and call for punitive action against Delhi Police officials posted at the Saket Police Station, including the station house officer (SHO), for brutally assaulting freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan,” the statement said.

It alleged that the journalists were first manhandled by police personnel on the spot before being taken to the police station. “Upon reaching the police station, the SHO allegedly instructed police officials to take the two journalists to a room, where women officers also joined, and started beating Shaheen and Nafisa.

The police officials then determined their religious identity and escalated their attacks, reportedly hurling religion-specific abuses at the two,” the statement said. The organisations also called upon the Press Council of India to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and conduct an independent investigation.

Delhi Police has denied the allegations, terming them “factually incorrect” and “misleading”. Police said the two women had obstructed a designated VVIP route by parking their scooter near the venue and refused to move the vehicle despite repeated requests, following which they were taken to the police station.

“Claims suggesting otherwise, including allegations of assault for asking questions to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, are totally false, misleading and baseless,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said. Videos circulating on social media showed the two journalists displaying injury marks on different parts of their bodies.