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3 women journalists allege sexual harassment by Delhi Police during protest
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 04 Oct 2026, 03:18 PM
Police and security personnel detain All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora (C) during a protest against the country's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on October 3, 2026, to demand his resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Photo: AFP
Three women journalists have alleged sexual harassment by police personnel during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday, prompting the Delhi Police to transfer their complaints to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial” enquiry.
One of the journalists alleged that an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) sexually assaulted her while she was recording police action during a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
She alleged that the officer touched her inappropriately and pushed her away while she was filming the police action.
The journalist also said she and others later went to a police station to lodge a complaint but alleged that it was not registered immediately.
The Delhi Police said it had received the complaints and transferred them to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry”.
The Press Council of India expressed “shock and dismay” over the alleged treatment of journalists by police.
It said such behaviour could not be normalised in a democracy and that journalists must be allowed to work freely and document people raising various issues without fear.
The council also said the Delhi Police should immediately act on the female journalist’s complaint and ensure that media personnel are given the space to perform their duties without facing aggression or threats.
Earlier on Saturday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded answers from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over allegations of misconduct with women by Delhi Police personnel during the protest.
In a post on X, Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and that Shah must answer the allegations.
Gandhi said a female journalist had accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar and alleged that hundreds of journalists had been there for hours demanding that an FIR be registered.
He also alleged that hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, while women protesters faced allegations of misconduct, cameras were snatched and journalists were dragged away.
Gandhi further alleged that similar incidents involving women and police officers had occurred previously and said women and students across Delhi were staging satyagraha over concerns about their safety.
He questioned what the government was protecting by allegedly failing to register a woman’s complaint and called on Shah to respond.