Delhi cops manhandle photojournalists covering AAP protests in Delhi

Several photojournalists were manhandled by Delhi police personnel during protests by the Aam Aadmi Party at Delhi’s Patel Chowk over chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in the liquor case.

Salman Ali of Hindustan received a fracture in his left hand while a picture showed a police officer holding Arun Thakur of India Today by his neck and other police personnel purportedly heckling several other men with cameras. 

An argument had ensued between some media professionals and the police as the latter allegedly threatened to detain journalists while telling them to not move ahead.

The Working News Cameramen’s Association tweeted pictures seeking “strict action” while several photojournalists condemned the alleged high-handedness.

The Press Club of India also condemned the incident. It said the “job of reporters and photojournalists is to cover political protests. As such, photojournalists who were assaulted by Delhi Police were merely doing their job”.

The statement issued by the press body demanded a high-level enquiry in the matter by a retired judge, and the suspension of police officials who can be identified in the pictures. It said any form of assault on journalists and photojournalists is “totally unacceptable”.

Several photojournalists took to X to condemn the incident.

Indian Express’s Anil Sharma wrote, “These are not AAP workers but New Delhi’s photojournalists.”   

Mihir Singh of Punjab Kesari said, “Delhi police officer misbehaved with the press photographers during the AAP party protest at Patel chowk. Very shameful, Delhi police.”

AAP workers have been protesting against Kejriwal’s arrest across the country, including Delhi. Since the arrest on March 21, the party workers have tried to protest outside the Delhi BJP headquarters, and have also burned the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Watch here and here. 

The Delhi CM’s arrest comes weeks ahead of the general elections and after he was summoned nine times in the case by the Enforcement Directorate. Kejriwal has moved the Delhi High Court against his “illegal” arrest. Read here.

Despite the probe in the liquor scam case still going on, several primetime anchors seemed convinced of Kejriwal’s guilt. Who were they and what did they say? Read here.