A photojournalist manhandled by Delhi police personnel during protest by the Aam Aadmi Party over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the ED, at Delhi’s Patel Chowk.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Some media bodies on Tuesday condemned the alleged assault on photojournalists by the Delhi Police during an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protest and demanded an inquiry into the matter by a retired high court judge.
In separate statements here, the Press Club of India and the Delhi Union of Journalists expressed shock and condemned the police action against the photojournalists who were covering the AAP protest in the national capital.
'The Press Club of India condemns the assault on photojournalists by Delhi Police,' a PCI statement said.
The Working News Cameraman's Association has released photographs which showed some police officers holding some photojournalists by their throats and threatening others with dire consequences, it said.
'The Press Club of India demands a high-level enquiry by a retired judge into the highhandedness of Delhi Police so that the aggrieved photojournalists get justice and are able to do their professional work without facing police brutality,' the statement said.
The Delhi Union of Journalists urged the Election Commission and the Union Home Ministry to take action against the 'erring police officers'.
The AAP protest was organised against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The photo and video journalists were doing their job when an argument ensued between them and a team of police officers deployed near the Patel Chowk metro station.
After the incident, a group of camerapersons met with seniors officers of the Delhi Police at the police headquarters complaining about the act.
However, no written complaint was filed against the incident.
The police officers assured them that they will look into the matter.