On 16 October, Delhi Police assaulted The Caravan’s staffer Ahan Penkar while he was reporting. ACP Ajay Kumar kicked & slapped he inside the Model Town station premises. He has sustained injuries on his nose, his shoulder, his back and his ankle. 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. He was detained for nearly four hours.
Penkar was reporting on a protest concerning the alleged rape and murder of a teenaged girl in North Delhi. Students and activists had gathered outside the Model Town police station to demand the registration of an FIR in the case. Penkar has filed a complaint to SN Shrivastava, Delhi’s commissioner of police, regarding the assault on him.
The Indian Newspaper Society 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.
PRESS RELEASE
New Delhi, 17th October 2020............ On behalf of the entire print media fraternity in India, Mr. L. Adimoolam, President, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) condemns the assault on The Caravan India’s staffer Mr. Ahan Penkar by Delhi Police Officials whilst he was discharging his professional duties.
The INS urges the Commissioner of Police, Delhi and the concerned authorities to take strict action against the offender/s while ensuring safety and security of journalists to allow them to perform their duties without fear or hindrance.
Mary Paul
Secretary General