Women journalists claim cops groped them at Jantar Mantar protest, probe launched
Women journalists claim cops groped them at Jantar Mantar protest, probe launched
M.U.H
04/10/202611
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded answers from Union Home Minister Amit Shah after three women journalists claimed they were sexually assaulted and groped by the Delhi Police personnel during a protest at Jantar Mantar. Demonstrations were held there demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after the Opposition accused him of irregularities during SIR and deleted votes to benefit the BJP.
In a tweet, the Delhi Police said they received complaints of sexual harassment by three women journalists at the protest site and transferred them to the Crime Branch for a "fair and impartial enquiry". Journalists at the protest site staged a sit-in, demanding the registration of the FIRs.
"On 03-10-26, during the protest in New Delhi area, while being in law and order situation, allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers. New Delhi District has received their complaints and the same are transferred to the Crime Branch for fair and impartial enquiry," police said.
In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul Gandhi said Amit Shah must respond because Delhi Police comes under the Home Ministry.
“A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn’t that the police’s basic duty? They haven’t even done that,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that on Saturday alone, hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar.
“There are allegations of misconduct against women protesters. Cameras were snatched, journalists were dragged. And this isn’t the first time – we’ve seen video evidence of police officers engaging in disgusting misconduct with women earlier,” he said.
Gandhi alleged that women and students across Delhi, gripped by fear for their safety, were staging a satyagraha, but the police responsible for protecting them were instead raising hands against them.
“And a government that fears registering even one woman’s complaint – what exactly is it protecting? Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah ji, where are you? You have to answer for this,” he wrote.
CJP AND AISA MAKE SIMILAR CLAIMS
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das accused ACP Vivek Bhagat of misbehaving with the woman journalist and touching her inappropriately.
"This is shocking! Why are the Delhi Police shielding ACP Bhagat? We stand with the female journalist. There should be immediate consequences for the police officer, beginning with an FIR and suspension," he said.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that the woman journalist had been refused to file an FIR against the alleged misconduct.
"Just got a call from a female ind journalist. She said ACP Vivek Bhagat misbehaved with her & touched her inappropriately. She tried to file a complaint, the police refused it. Why is the local DCP trying to protect ACP Vivek Bhagat? Is that DCP Sachin Sharma, Amit Shah’s blue-eyed boy?" he said.
The Left-wing student organisation All India Students’ Association (AISA) also made a similar complaint, alleging that women protesters, journalists and lawyers were manhandled by male police personnel.
In its statement, AISA said, “Women protesters, journalists and lawyers were manhandled by male police. Several women have complained of being groped by male police personnel.”
It added, “A police force that claims to ensure justice for women cannot maintain basic protocols of crowd management. Male police officers openly abused women protesters and behaved in the most unprofessional way.”
PRESS CLUB OF INDIA REACTS
In a statement, the Press Club of India said it was "shocked and dismayed at the Delhi Police's actions against and treatment of journalists during the protests at Jantar Mantar".
"Journalists must be allowed to work freely, without fear, and document those who gather to raise various issues. That this is not being allowed even at the heart of the national capital does not bode well for the trajectory of media freedom in India. Behaviour of this kind cannot be normalised in a democracy," the press body tweeted.
It urged the police to act on the women journalists' complaints and ensure mediapersons get space to do their jobs "without having to face aggression and threats".
