Editor’s Guild of India Outraged over Police Atrocity on Journalists, Urges MHA To Take Strict Action In MP, Odisha Cases
(Judicial Quest News Network)
Editor’s Guild of India expressing shock over the way the police arrested, stripped, and humiliated a local Journalist and some members of the civil society at Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh (MP), as well as chained another journalist at Balasore in Odhisa, EGO urged Union Ministry of Home Affairs to act immediately and take strict action.
In a statement, EGI Says, “The Editors Guild of India urges the Union Home Ministry to take immediate cognisance of police excesses against journalists and civil society members, and issue stern directions to all levels of law enforcement agencies to respect democratic values and freedom of press.”
In Madhya Pradesh local Journalist Kanishk Tiwari and some activists protesting the arrest of an artist in Sidhi District were taken into custody by the police and were allegedly forced to undress during their detention on April 2.Two police officers were transferred after semi-nude pictures of those detained went viral on social media ,a senior police official said on Tuesday.
The Police claimed that Journalist was arrested along with others as he was involved in unauthorised protest in front of Kotwali police station against the arrest of Neeraj Kunder, Director of Indrāvati Drama School, However the EGI said that Tiwari was covering a protest against the arrest of theatre artist who allegedly made some derogatory remarks against the Bhartiya Janta party (BJP) MLA and his son.
The Editor’s Guild of Indian said that in an inhumane manner in which journalists, stringers, and district reporters are often treated by the police, in an effort to suppress any independent reporting is a matter of grave concern.
In another incident in Odisha on April 7, police in the Balasore district chained a journalist’s leg to a hospital bed after an alleged case of assault. The journalist Loknath Delai though has claimed that he was arrested in response to his reporting of corruption by the police and various irregularities in their affairs.
The Journalist was beaten up in police station and later, after falling unconscious, his leg was tied to a hospital bed, triggering the incident. Journalist Loknath Dalei claimed that he was beaten up for writing about alleged corruption in the Nilgiri Police Station area of Balasore District.
The Editor’s body also said that strict action is needed against those who abuse the power of the State. The inhumane manner in which journalists, stringers, and district reporters are often treated by the police, in an effort to suppress any independent reporting is a matter of grave concern. The EGI Said.
