An ANI reporter allegedly “physically assaulted” a PTI reporter and used “sexual expletives” at a Congress event in Karnataka’s Bengaluru today. 

PTI tweeted that an FIR is being lodged over the “shocking incident” which has left the reporter “traumatised”. It said the news agency will also file a complaint with the National Commission for Women.   

A video clip of the incident showed a heated exchange between the two reporters on the stage, after which ANI reporter Raghavendra physically assaulted the PTI reporter.    

Hours after PTI’s tweet, ANI journalist Naveen Kapoor tweeted pictures of Raghavendra with a scratch on his jaw, and said the ANI reporter “is also filing an FIR in relation to the unprovoked attack on him”.

However, he added that the reporter has been suspended “till the investigation process is not completed”. The news outlet is yet to issue an official statement.

Without identifying the ANI reporter, PTI said its “young female reporter” was subjected to “abominable behaviour” by him. Tagging ANI chief Smita Prakash, the news agency also asked, “Does ANI condone such behaviour by its staffer?” 

“PTI management and her colleagues are outraged, and condemn this unprovoked violence in the strongest possible terms. PTI will go to any lengths to protect its employees.” 

Another PTI reporter Thoyajakshi Shekar tweeted that the ANI reporter had abused the same reporter at “several instances” because she hails from Kerala and “does not understand Kannada. This has now reached an extreme level.”

She added, “This extreme level of abuse and hatred this particular ANI reporter has towards their so-called rivals PTI has to be stopped.”

Another ANI reporter was in the news earlier for spying on WhatsApp groups of army personnel. Read here.