Delhi Police Detaining ID-Carrying Journalists at Undisclosed Locations
The national capital of Delhi has transformed into a virtual fortress amid barricades, hovering drones, body cameras, and the deployment of thousands of security personnel, with Delhi Police pulling out all stops to prevent anyone from reaching the protest site at Jantar Mantar. Journalists and content creators covering political news were not spared from this heavy-handed crackdown.
Multiple videos have emerged showing police hauling journalists into vans and whisking them away to undisclosed locations, even after they presented their press identity cards. Earlier, a directive issued by the Delhi Police stated that the media must display valid press credentials. According to the rules, only those holding accreditation cards issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are permitted to provide coverage.
Scroll reporter Ayush Tiwari was detained from the HKS Surjeet Bhawan after presenting his press card, despite not being present at the protest site. Their political editor, Shoaib Daniyal, was also detained. Three journalists from Newslaundry, Amol Pramit, Ashwani Kumar Singh, and Aastha Sabharwal, were detained and their mobile phones were confiscated. When they identified themselves as journalists, the police flatly told them, ‘There is no media.’
Popular content creator Kavya Karnatak was also detained from Dhaula Kuan. In a video recorded from inside a police bus, she was heard saying, ‘Today in Delhi, there is no right to movement. Whether you go alone, in a group, for personal work, or for a protest, you will be detained without any reason.’ Additionally, videos show several lawyers being physically lifted and carried away by police on their way to the protest site.
