‘She is Muslim, hit her twice more with sticks’: Delhi police accused of assaulting two women journalists
Two Muslim women journalists have accused Delhi Police of brutally assaulting them while they were covering an event attended by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, alleging that the violence intensified after officers learned they were Muslim.
Freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan, associated with digital news platform 4PM News Network, said they were detained and taken to Saket Police Station on Thursday while covering the inauguration of a new wing at Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital in south Delhi.
According to The Wire, Shaheen said they were dragged to the police station after attempting to ask questions of Gupta and Shah. She alleged that police officers slapped and beat the journalists with sticks and that the assault became more severe after she identified herself as a Muslim.
Videos released by 4PM News Network show Shaheen inside the police station displaying bruises on her arm and describing the alleged assault. Nafisa is shown in another video in severe distress, apparently unable to walk and later being carried out of the station.
Shaheen also alleged that an officer noticed an incoming call from someone identified as “Mohammed” on her phone and said, “Muslim hai… do dande zyada maaro” — roughly, “She’s Muslim… hit her twice more with sticks.”
TRT World, citing the journalists and videos circulated by 4PM News Network, reported that the two women had gone to cover the event and were attempting to question the chief minister when police personnel stopped and detained them.
The news outlet also reported that the journalists alleged they were beaten and slapped inside the police station and that the violence intensified after police learned of their religious identity.
Delhi Police, however, has rejected the allegations, describing them as “factually incorrect”, “misleading” and “baseless”. Police said the journalists were taken to Saket Police Station after allegedly obstructing a designated VVIP route during the event attended by Shah and Gupta.
The allegations have triggered widespread condemnation from journalists’ organisations and opposition political parties.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association and Kerala Union of Working Journalists jointly condemned the alleged assault and called for a free and fair investigation into the conduct of the police personnel involved.
The organisations urged Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to investigate the allegations and called on the Press Council of India to take suo motu cognisance of the incident and conduct an independent inquiry.
Digital journalists’ body Digipub also condemned the alleged assault, saying journalists must be able to perform their duties without fear, intimidation or discrimination. It called for an independent investigation and preservation of CCTV footage from the police station.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, have also condemned the incident and demanded action against the police officers involved.
The controversy has intensified after videos showing the journalists’ injuries spread widely on social media, with critics raising concerns over press freedom, police conduct and alleged religious discrimination.