3 journalists accuse cops of sexual harassment at Jantar Mantar protest
Delhi Police Send Journalists’ Harassment Complaints to Crime Branch After Jantar Mantar Protest
Bharatmorningnews.com – Three women journalists have alleged that police personnel sexually harassed them while they were reporting from a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Delhi Police said the complaints, submitted after the October 3 demonstration, have been transferred to the Crime Branch for an inquiry described as fair and impartial.
The allegations arose during a protest against the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls. The women said police officers deployed at the site touched them inappropriately while they were covering the gathering. The identities and number of personnel accused have not been publicly disclosed.
In a message posted on X, Delhi Police said the complaints were received by the New Delhi district during a law-and-order situation and then sent to the Crime Branch for further examination.
Protests Outside Parliament Street Police Station
On Saturday evening, independent reporters and social media creators gathered outside Parliament Street police station, calling for First Information Reports to be registered against the officers named in the complaints. Similar demands continued on Sunday, when more people arrived at the police station.
The call for an FIR has become central to the protest by journalists and activists, who argue that allegations involving police personnel should be formally recorded and investigated without delay. The transfer to the Crime Branch reflects the fact that the accusations concern alleged sexual offences against women and involve officers who were on duty at the protest site.
A senior police officer said an inquiry by personnel from the same police station or district could raise questions about impartiality because officers from Parliament Street police station and the New Delhi district were assigned to protest-related duties.
“Since, several police officials from the Parliament Street police station and the New Delhi district were also in the protests-related law and order duty, it would have been unfair to assign officers of the same station or police district to conduct the enquiries into the complaints of the women journalists. Hence, the complaints have been transferred to the crime branch,” the officer said.
Police Seek Video Evidence
Deputy commissioner of police for perception management and the media cell, Neha Yadav, appealed to anyone with relevant footage to share it with the Crime Branch. Video material from the area may help investigators establish the sequence of events, identify officers present and assess the allegations.
“Despite section 163 of the BNSS (prohibitory orders) being in force in the New Delhi area, AISA and other parties held a protest against SIR on October 3. The protesters were informed about Section 163 of the BNSS and directed to leave the spot, and action was taken to detain them when they did not comply. At around 6 pm, three women who identified themselves as journalists filed a complaint alleging manhandling by Delhi Police officials and staff during the detention. Their complaints were taken, they underwent medical examinations and all the complaints were sent to the crime branch. I request all of you that if you have any video footage related to this, please share it with the crime branch,” she said.
Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita allows authorities to issue orders intended to prevent threats to public order, including restrictions on assemblies in a specified area. Police said such prohibitory directions were in force in New Delhi during the demonstration and that protesters had been asked to disperse before detentions were made.
The journalists’ complaints are distinct from the cases police have registered over the protest itself. Three FIRs have been filed at Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations after daily diary entries by police personnel. Those cases invoke Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which concerns disobeying an order lawfully issued by a public servant.
Political Reactions and Wider Concerns
The incident prompted criticism from political leaders and activists online. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned why an FIR had not been registered despite journalists gathering for hours outside the police station.
“A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn’t that the police’s basic duty? They haven’t even done that,” Rahul said in a post on X.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also highlighted the allegations made by women reporters and protesters, raising concerns about the treatment of women during public demonstrations.
“During reporting at Jantar Mantar, women journalists have accused police personnel of sexual harassment. Despite protests by dozens of journalists, no FIR was filed, nor was any concrete action taken. Women engaged in peaceful protests also allege that the police are behaving very indecently with them. The very police whose job it is to provide security is making women feel threatened. From college students to journalists—women are facing insecurity everywhere,” Priyanka said on X.
The protest followed days of heightened tension around Jantar Mantar and central Delhi. At least 1,000 people were detained on Friday while attempting to reach the protest venue for an agitation targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.
For the three journalists, the next stage will depend on the Crime Branch investigation, including medical examination records, statements, duty rosters and any footage provided by witnesses. The case has also renewed attention on the need for reporters to be able to cover public demonstrations safely, particularly when police action and detentions are taking place.
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