At least 12 journalists covering protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were detained by Delhi Police on Sunday as demonstrations continued across the national capital.
A reporter from Hindustan, along with journalists from The Indian Express and The Hindu, was among those taken into custody while reporting on the protests.
The detentions took place as police continued to detain protesters at several locations in Delhi amid heightened security arrangements.
Hindustan reporter Ashish Singh, 27, said he was detained around 2.30 pm from RK Ashram Marg while covering a protest called by the All India Students Association (AISA).
Singh alleged that he was pushed and injured despite wearing a press identification card.
“I was recording the detentions on my camera when I felt police pushing me,” Singh said, alleging that he was struck by what felt like a pointed object.
He said he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist and showed his press ID to the police.
Singh was subsequently pushed onto a bus along with a photojournalist.
“I was far from protesters and not even obstructing police in their duty, but they still misbehaved with me,” he alleged.
The journalist said he remained on the bus for around 20 to 30 minutes before reaching the Mandir Marg area, where he and another journalist got off.
Singh said he was concerned that police could seize their phones and delete recorded media.
Photojournalist Also Detained
A photojournalist working for a national news agency, who did not wish to be identified, also described being detained while photographing protesters being taken into custody.
The journalist said police were removing pedestrians and detaining people when officers suddenly ordered that the photojournalist be taken inside.
The journalist said they hid the camera’s memory card because of concerns that their belongings could be seized or recorded material deleted.
The allegations regarding the conduct of individual police personnel could not be independently verified.
Three journalists from The Indian Express Hindi were also detained during the protests.
The Indian Express identified them as Shashwat, Siya and Vijay. According to the newspaper’s official account on X, they were detained from Connaught Place and taken to Chhatrasal Stadium.
They were released after around 45 minutes, approximately 12 km from the location where they had been picked up.
A journalist from The Hindu was also briefly detained between 6 pm and 7 pm after being pushed onto a police bus.
She said she identified herself as a reporter and was subsequently released.
“I was recording myself when police personnel came and started asking me what are you doing… They just detained me. How can they detain the press?” she said.
Camera personnel from digital news platforms were among the other journalists reportedly detained.
Delhi Police Yet to Comment
The Delhi Police public relations officer declined to comment on the reported detention of journalists.
The detentions occurred amid a wider police crackdown as protests continued against Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests have been linked to opposition and activist allegations concerning the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for Kumar’s resignation.
The allegations surrounding the conduct of police during the detentions remain disputed and have not been independently established.
The reported detention of journalists while they were covering the demonstrations has also raised concerns about the ability of the press to document events during periods of heightened security and mass detentions.
