Delhi Police said on Sunday that it has received complaints from three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police personnel during protests in the national capital.
According to a statement issued by the Delhi Police, three female journalists made allegations of sexual harassment against police officers while the police were managing the law-and-order situation during the protest.
The Delhi Police said, “On 03-10-26, during the protest in the New Delhi area, while being in a law and order situation, allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers.”
The police further stated, “New Delhi District has received their complaints, and the same are transferred to Crime Branch for fair and impartial enquiry.”
One of the complaints was made by an independent journalist who identified herself as Rosy. According to reports, she alleged that ACP Vivek Bhagat touched her inappropriately and pushed her while she was recording the detention of AISA president Neha Bora during the protest.
In a video message, Rosy alleged that she was filming the police action when the incident took place. She subsequently went to Parliament Street Police Station seeking to register an FIR against the officer and said she had been waiting there for several hours without an FIR being registered. The allegations against the officer have not been independently established.
The incident prompted journalists, lawyers and protesters to gather outside the Parliament Street Police Station, demanding that the complaint be formally registered and action be taken.
Delhi Police has now said that complaints from three female journalists have been received and transferred to the Crime Branch, which will examine the allegations.
The complaints and their transfer to the Crime Branch came after journalists raised serious concerns over the conduct of police personnel during the protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar.
The Press Club of India strongly criticised the Delhi Police’s actions against journalists and also raised concerns over the reported imposition of an internet ban in and around the Jantar Mantar area.
In a statement, the Press Club of India said, “The Press Club of India is shocked and dismayed at the Delhi Police’s actions against and treatment of journalists during the protests at Jantar Mantar against the Chief Election Commissioner on Friday and Saturday.”
The Press Club further said that such behaviour should not become normalised in a democratic society.
“Behaviour of this kind cannot be normalised in a democracy. Journalists must be allowed to work freely, without fear, and document those who gather to raise various issues,” the Press Club said.
Expressing concern over restrictions faced by journalists in the national capital, the organisation added, “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.”
The Press Club of India also urged the Delhi Police to act promptly on the complaint filed by the female journalist.
“The Delhi Police must immediately act on the female journalist’s complaint and ensure that it gives mediapersons the space to do their jobs without having to face aggression and threats,” the statement said.
The controversy has also drawn condemnation from Shams Tabrez Qasmi, President of Cogito Media Foundation and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Millat Times. Qasmi strongly criticised the alleged treatment of journalists, particularly the alleged mistreatment of a woman journalist by a Delhi Police officer.
Qasmi said, “The mistreatment of a woman journalist by Delhi Police is deeply shameful. Action must be taken against the officer responsible, and the safety of women journalists must be ensured to maintain public trust in the police.”
He also condemned the treatment of journalist Anzar Afaque, saying that journalists had repeatedly faced obstacles while carrying out their professional responsibilities.
“The Delhi Police have repeatedly obstructed journalists from doing their work and subjected them to humiliation. All journalists must stand united to ensure that no journalist faces such mistreatment again,” Qasmi said.
Qasmi also referred to the events following the alleged incident involving a woman journalist. According to him, journalists went to Parliament Street Police Station and demanded that an FIR be registered against the concerned police officer, but an FIR had not been registered at that point.
He said, “A Delhi Police officer misbehaved with a woman journalist. Following this, journalists reached Parliament Street Police Station and demanded that an FIR be registered against the concerned officer, but no FIR has been registered so far.”
Qasmi further said, “The Delhi Police have continuously been preventing journalists from carrying out their journalistic duties and humiliating them. This is extremely shameful. I strongly condemn what happened with Anzar Afaque. All journalists must stand united so that the Delhi Police do not repeat such conduct against any journalist.”
The Delhi Police’s decision to transfer the complaints to the Crime Branch is now expected to bring the allegations under a separate investigation process. The controversy has also intensified the wider debate over the safety of journalists, press freedom and the conduct of law-enforcement agencies during public protests in the national capital.
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