Delhi Police Assault Protests
Journalists Detained Following Protests Over Assault Allegations Against Delhi Police
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Key Points
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One complainant said she had been protesting for three days to secure registration of an FIR.
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Police picked up the protesters one by one and took them by bus to Delhi Cantonment police station; the complainant said the group wanted to meet senior officers to learn what had happened to her complaint.
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Rahul Gandhi alleged that cameras were snatched from women journalists and that police dragged them; he specifically called for CCTV footage from Saket police station to be made public.
Seventeen people, including a journalist who alleged sexual assault by Delhi Police, were detained on October 5 after camping outside Parliament Street police station demanding an FIR. News18 reported the group had spent the night protesting over the handling of sexual assault complaints filed on October 3 during demonstrations near Jantar Mantar. One complainant said she had been demanding action on her complaint for three days.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the police response, with Rahul calling out Home Minister Amit Shah. Hindustan Times reported that Gandhi demanded the release of CCTV footage from Saket police station and accused police of silencing women. The allegations against officers have not been established. Delhi Police said the complaints were referred to the Crime Branch for inquiry.
Three Women Journalists File Assault Complaints
On October 3, three female journalists reported being sexually assaulted by Delhi Police during detentions at a protest demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner. Deccan Chronicle reported that one 29-year-old journalist said she was groped by an officer after questioning the absence of female police personnel during arrests. She stated the officer pushed her back after she raised the issue.
The journalists filed formal complaints that evening at Parliament Street police station. Varthabharati reported that Delhi Police acknowledged receipt of all three complaints and transferred the cases to the Crime Branch for investigation. Police said prohibitory orders were in force in the area and Parliament Street was not an authorized protest site.
Overnight Sit-In Leads to Detentions
After filing complaints on October 3 evening, journalists and protesters remained camped outside Parliament Street police station demanding an FIR. The complainant said she wanted to meet senior officers to learn what had happened to her case. By the morning of October 5, police moved to clear the area.
News18 reported that police picked up the protesters one by one and transported them by bus to Delhi Cantonment police station. About seventeen people, including the main complainant, were detained. Police said they were enforcing prohibitory orders that banned unauthorized gatherings in the area.
Rahul Gandhi Demands CCTV Footage and Answers
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used a video of his interaction with the journalists to attack the Home Ministry. He alleged that police snatched cameras from women journalists and dragged them. "A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered," Gandhi said.
Hindustan Times reported that Gandhi specifically called for Home Minister Amit Shah to answer for the police conduct. He demanded the release of CCTV footage from Saket police station to show what happened. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined the criticism, calling the police response a violation of women's safety and press freedom.
Police Say Investigation Is Underway by Crime Branch
Delhi Police stated that the complaints are being handled fairly. They said transferring cases from the New Delhi District to the Crime Branch ensures an impartial investigation free from local influence. Police maintained that standard procedure was followed in acknowledging all three complaints.
The allegations remain unestablished as the Crime Branch probe continues. No charges have been filed. The police position is that detentions on October 5 were routine enforcement of prohibitory orders in an area where protests were not authorized.
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