We condemn Delhi Police, forwarding representation to CM, MHA: Chandigarh Press Club

On 16 October, Delhi Police detained and assaulted The Caravan’s staffer Ahan Penkar while he was reporting. ACP Ajay Kumar kicked and slapped him inside the Model Town station premises. Penkar repeatedly told the police that he was a journalist and prominently displayed his press ID. The police forcibly took his phone from him and then deleted all the videos he had recorded while reporting. Penkar was reporting on a protest outside the Model Town police station concerning the alleged rape and murder of a Dalit teenager in North Delhi.

The Chandigarh Press Club has released a statement condemning the attack and demanding immediate action. The statement is reproduced below. Read The Caravan’s report on the attack here.

Chandigarh Press Club condemned the Chandigarh Police and Delhi Police for assaulting journalists in two different incidents held in Chandigarh and Delhi, respectively.

In a first incident, a Chandigarh-based electronic media journalist Om Ray was allegedly assaulted by two Chandigarh Police personnel, constables Rajbir Singh and Harish Sharma, in Mauli Jagran on Wednesday evening. Om Ray tried to intervened when the two police personnel were manhandling a two wheeler on a pretext of wrong driving and when he (Om Ray) started recording the incident, the police personnel tried to snatch his mobile phone and despite of disclosing his media identity they assaulted him. Om Ray works with Navtej TV.

The Chandigarh Press Club condemned the action of the concerned police officials and has already taken up the matter with the higher authorities in the Chandigarh police and is also giving a representation to the UT Administrator VPS Badnore, and demanding for a probe in the matter.

In a second incident, a Carvan Magazine journalist Ahan Penkar, was allegedly assaulted by a Delhi police officer ACP Ajay Kumar and then detained (at Model Town station) while covering a story in North Delhi on Friday. Penkar was working on a story on the alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old Dalit girl in the area. Despite of disclosing his media identity, the Delhi police officer assaulted him and his phone recordings of interviews and photos related to the assignment were also deleted.

The Chandigarh Press Club condemned the action of the Delhi Police official and forwarding a representation regarding the said issue to Delhi Chief Minister office and Union Home ministry for the action.

Saurabh Duggal

Secretary General