"She further alleges that when the police officers asked for her name and heard 'Khan' in it, the assault against her intensified," the news outlet said.
New Delhi: Two independent Muslim women journalists on Thursday, September 3, alleged they were detained and beaten by Delhi Police personnel in south Delhi for news coverage.

The journalists from 4 PM News Network, Shaheen Khan and Nafisa, alleged the police teams detained and assaulted both of them after identifying them as Muslims. 

Shaheen said the assault was triggered by the journalists asking questions about the Delhi government and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

“Shaheen was trying to ask questions of Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Shaheen alleges that during this time, the Delhi Police grabbed her and dragged her to the station while beating her,” 4 PM News Network wrote on X.

“She further alleges that when the police officers asked for her name and heard ‘Khan’ in it, the assault against her intensified,” it added.

Shaheen and Nafisa told PTI they are now on their way to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for medical examination and to obtain their medico-legal cases (MLCs).

In the video, too, the Delhi Police official was seen just sitting at his desk while Shaheen raised allegations against the personnel.

Delhi Police has finally responded to the women journalists’ allegations, calling them “factually incorrect” and “misleading.”

“The two women had obstructed a designated VVIP route by parking their scooter near the venue and refused to move the vehicle despite repeated requests, following which they were taken to the police station,” read a released statement.

“Claims suggesting otherwise, including allegations of assault for asking questions to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, are totally false, misleading and baseless,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said.

CJP, AAP hit out at Delhi Police and CM Rekha Gupta
The Cockroach Janta Party condemned the alleged assault, saying every day Delhi wakes up to “disturbing news like this.”

CJP wrote on X, “Is using force against students the only task Delhi Police takes seriously? Is crime against women a joke for Delhi Police?”

Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said, “Shaheen is one of the finest journalists I came across in Delhi. It’s shameful, but not at all surprising what Delhi Police has done.”

He encouraged Shaheen to stay strong and keep her spirits high as “Iss nautanki ka time khatam hone waala hai (The time for this charade is running out).”

The Aam Aadmi Party hit out at the BJP-led Delhi government over the incident.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a post on X, said, “Two women reporters have been very brutally beaten by Delhi Police for asking questions from CM Rekha Gupta. Shame on woman CM Rekha Gupta.”

Press bodies demand fair investigation : Several journalists’ bodies have also condemned the alleged assault, demanding a “free and fair investigation” into the incident.

The Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Delhi Union of Journalists, the Press Association and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists urged Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to order a “free and fair investigation” into the incident.

“The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association, and Kerala Union of Working Journalists strongly condemn and call for punitive action against Delhi Police officials posted at the Saket Police Station, including the station house officer (SHO), for brutally assaulting freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan,” the statement said.

The organisations also called upon the Press Council of India to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and conduct an independent investigation.