Tharoor condemns alleged police violence against women protesters

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday criticised the alleged police action against women protesters in Delhi, saying it was “utterly shameful” that women protesting violence against women had themselves become victims of violence by policemen.

“It’s utterly shameful for women protesting violence against women to become victims of violence against women by policemen!!” Tharoor said in a post on X, while sharing a video student leader by Neha Bora. In the video, Bora announced a citizens’ march from India Gate to Jantar Mantar at 3 pm on Sunday, October 4, calling for protests against the Delhi Police and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“Tomorrow 3 PM. From Streets to Protests, Women Are NOT SAFE! Delhi Police's assault against women protestors, journalists will not be tolerated! In the spirit of women taking back the streets: Rise against Delhi Police! Rise against anti-women SIR! Rise for freedom. Rise against Gyanesh Kumar! Citizens' March. India Gate to Jantar Mantar 3 PM, Sunday, 4th October 2026 Jantar Mantar 2.0!”

This comes as three women journalists have alleged sexual harassment by police personnel while covering a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar on October 3, with their complaints transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry”.

The allegations have drawn criticism from journalists and opposition leaders, with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) set to protest over the incident. AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and party workers also staged a protest outside Parliament Street police station, demanding registration of an FIR.

One of the journalists told PTI that an assistant commissioner of police sexually assaulted her while she was covering the protest. She alleged that police personnel were detaining protesters and that no women police personnel were present at the spot.

“Police personnel were detaining protesters, and there were no women police personnel present at the spot. I asked ACP Vivek Bhagat of the Delhi Police about the absence of women police personnel, following which he sexually assaulted me and pushed me back,” she alleged.

The journalist said she and others later went to a police station to lodge an FIR but alleged that no action had been taken so far.

Delhi Police, however, said on Sunday that it had received complaints from three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police personnel.

“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,” Delhi Police said in a post on X.

The complaints were received by the New Delhi district police following the protest, during which police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. The complaints against the police officers have been transferred to the Crime Branch at Kamla Market, which will examine the allegations and record statements of the complainants and others concerned.