NHRC Intervenes: Suo Motu Cognizance Taken of Assault on Journalist During DU Protest

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

Delhi,20, February,2026- In a grave intervention underscoring the constitutional mandate to protect human dignity and press freedom, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken Suo motu cognizance of a disturbing incident involving the alleged physical and sexual assault of a woman journalist during a students’ protest at the North Campus of Delhi University.

The incident reportedly occurred on 13 February 2026, when the journalist was on official assignment covering a student-led protest against the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. According to media reports, the journalist was allegedly attacked by a mob after her caste identity was discovered, following which she was subjected to brutal physical violence and sexual assault, and was even threatened with being publicly paraded naked before she lost consciousness.

NHRC’s Judicial Observation

Taking serious note of the incident, the Commission observed that the contents of the report, if found to be true, disclose grave violations of fundamental human rights, including:

• The right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution
• The right to equality and non-discrimination under Articles 14 and 15
• The freedom of the press and professional safety of journalists
• Protection against caste-based violence and gendered crimes

Terming the allegations as deeply alarming and constitutionally offensive, the NHRC stated that such acts strike at the very core of the rule of law, social justice, and democratic values.

Notice to Delhi Police

Accordingly, the Commission has issued a formal notice to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, directing the submission of a detailed, time-bound report within two weeks. The report is to include:

• Status of FIR registration
• Sections of law invoked
• Progress of investigation
• Medical and forensic examination details
• Identification of accused persons
• Arrests made, if any
• Protective measures extended to the victim
• Steps taken to ensure witness safety and institutional accountability

Allegations of Caste-Based Targeting

As per the media report carried on 14 February 2026, the victim journalist has categorically alleged that she was deliberately targeted because of her caste identity, transforming the incident into not merely an act of mob violence, but a caste-based hate crime with sexual violence, invoking the gravest concerns of constitutional morality and social justice jurisprudence.

The report further states that the journalist managed to escape further harm with the intervention of university faculty members and women police personnel, who assisted her and ensured her safety.

Wider Constitutional and Legal Implications

Legal observers note that the incident raises serious concerns regarding:

• Safety of journalists in protest zones
• Criminal accountability for mob violence
• Caste-based discrimination and atrocities
• Gendered violence in public spaces
• Institutional responsibility of law enforcement
• Failure of crowd control mechanisms during public protests

The NHRC’s Suo motu action reflects a growing judicial emphasis on zero tolerance for caste-based violence, sexual crimes, and attacks on the press, especially in spaces meant for democratic expression such as university campuses.

Investigation Under Watch

With the Commission now seized of the matter, the case will be subjected to human rights scrutiny, procedural oversight, and constitutional accountability, with the possibility of further directions, compensation recommendations, prosecution monitoring, and institutional reforms depending on the findings of the police report.

The matter has now assumed the character of a human rights investigation with constitutional dimensions, placing the incident under national scrutiny and judicial monitoring.