Two women journalists working for digital news platform 4PM have accused Delhi Police of assault, saying they were targeted because of their 'Muslim' identity.
These journalists allege that they were making a video about a program related to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, when the policemen started questioning them.
In fact, on September 3, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present along with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the inauguration program of a building of a private hospital in Saket, Delhi.
There has been no official statement from Delhi Police on the allegations of women journalists. We sought to know their stand from Delhi Police in this regard but till the time of writing this news, we have not been able to contact them.
In this case, a video of journalist Shaheen Khan is viral. She is alleging that she and her friend were beaten up by the police.
In this video, Shaheen accuses the Delhi Police, "My name is being asked after completely attacking me mentally and physically."
He said, "The punishment for asking questions to a CM, the punishment for asking questions to a Home Minister is that Delhi Police vented out its frustration."
She shows the wounds on her body in this video. Shaheen says that she and her friend suffered injuries from the police baton.
However, the BBC cannot independently confirm how he sustained his injuries.
We also called Saket police station regarding this matter but could not contact them. Information will be updated here when available.
In the complaint given to Delhi Police, Shaheen Khan has written that when she was going towards her house at around 11.30 in the morning, she found the area cleaner than usual and on finding out, it came to light that Rekha Gupta and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were coming to inaugurate a new building of Max Hospital, hence this cleanliness has been done.
Shaheen says that she and her partner Nafisa were far away from the event area. Seeing this cleanliness, she made a selfie video while standing in front of a cutout of the CM, in which she was questioning that generally the area is not so clean, but there is dirt even outside the police station and hospital and today there is a VIP visit, so the area has been brightened up.
She says that she was asking some questions in that video.
He has said in the complaint, "Then several police officers come from behind and threaten us and try to snatch our phone. When I protested on camera, some lady police were called."
She claimed that she could identify by sight which policemen threatened her and snatched the phone.
He has alleged in the complaint that the policemen took him to the police station and he was beaten up. He also alleged that he was further harassed because of his religious identity.
He has also alleged that he sought medical help in the police station but did not get help. He got that help only after calling 112 and his medical was done from a government place and its report is submitted in Saket.
Meanwhile, the Press Club of India has issued a press release on Twitter condemning the incident.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women's Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association and Kerala Union of Working Journalists have issued a joint statement.
The Press Club has demanded action against the police officers posted at Saket police station, including the SHO, for the 'barbaric attack' on Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan.
The statement also alleged that the policemen asked about the religious identity of the two and then allegedly used abuses related to a particular religion against them.
4PM News Network has posted a post on X from its handle saying that she is not alone and has also written a letter to the President of India Draupadi Murmu in this regard.
On the night of September 3, many journalists gathered outside Saket police station demanding registration of FIR in this case. Many journalists have also reacted to this incident.
Suhasini Haider, Diplomatic Affairs Editor of the English newspaper 'The Hindu', wrote, "This is very bad. It is hoped that Delhi Police will take cognizance of this matter soon."
Journalist and YouTuber Ajit Anjum wrote, "At any cost, an FIR should be registered against those who beat Shaheen and Nafisa. Why have the top officials of Delhi Police not taken action yet? If these people can behave like this with a reporter, then what would happen to the common people?"
Many leaders have also reacted to this incident.
Neha Bora, leader of CPI (ML) student wing AISA, has written on Twitter that she will ensure that an FIR is registered in this matter and Delhi Police is held responsible.
He wrote in a post, "This is nothing but a communal attack on two Muslim journalists for showing the truth."
SP MP Iqra Hasan wrote on Twitter, "The alleged actions of some officers sitting in Delhi Police are completely contrary to the values of the Constitution and the law. Assaulting a female journalist of 4PM and showing aggression allegedly on the basis of religion by asking her name is extremely shameful and worrying. Such working style of Delhi Police under Home Minister Amit Shah ji raises serious questions on democracy and the rule of law."
Congress leader and MP Imran Pratapgarhi wrote on Twitter, "Today I spoke on phone with the 4PM journalist daughters who were brutally beaten by the police. The incident narrated by both the daughters is extremely painful. The way the Saket police misbehaved with these daughters who asked questions to the Chief Minister and then beat them up after asking their names, raises questions on the working system."
Congress leader Pawan Kheda wrote on Twitter, "Women journalists are being beaten and injured for asking questions about the Delhi Chief Minister. And when the police reportedly found out that one of these journalists was a Muslim, the attacks intensified. Is this democracy - or a police raj?"
Aam Aadmi Party wrote on Twitter, "What is the Chief Minister of Prime Minister Modi's own four-engine government, who boasts of women empowerment, doing? A woman journalist was beaten badly by the police under Home Minister Amit Shah just because she was asking a question to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. In such a situation, the question is justified, will the voice of daughters always be crushed like this in the Modi government?"
