IJU Condemns Police Brutality Against Journalists in Manipur and Delhi

KalimNews, PR, New Imphal/Delhi, 6 August 2024: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has strongly condemned recent incidents of police brutality against journalists in Manipur and Delhi. On 1 August, Mutum Rameshchandra, a senior reporter with Impact TV News, was assaulted by a sub-inspector while covering a rally by internally displaced people (IDPs) in Imphal East district. Similarly, on 30 July, Poonam Pandey, assistant editor of the Hindi daily Navbharat Times, was detained by police while covering a Mahila Congress demonstration near Kartavya Path in Delhi. The IJU has demanded immediate action against the police officers involved in both cases.

In Delhi, Poonam Pandey reported that police obstructed her from filming the protest by covering her camera with a black cloth and attempting to seize her phone. Despite identifying herself as a journalist and showing her press ID, she was detained and placed on a bus with the protesters. Pandey also noted the absence of female police officers during the incident, although female CRPF personnel were involved in taking her phone and detaining her.

In Manipur, Mutum Rameshchandra recounted being punched and kicked by a sub-inspector, resulting in injuries to his right chin. His phone was destroyed, and he was struck with a service weapon. The All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU), affiliated with the IJU, along with the Editors Guild of Manipur, organized a protest march from the Manipur Press Club to Chief Minister Biren Singh’s residence, demanding an impartial inquiry and appropriate action against the offending police officer.

IJU President and former Press Council of India member, Sabina Inderjit, alongside IJU Secretary General and IFJ Vice President, condemned these incidents. Inderjit emphasized that attacks on journalists are becoming increasingly common and represent a direct threat to press freedom. She stated that targeting journalists indicates a deliberate attempt by governments to suppress the free flow of information, urging the media community to unite against these violations of the fourth pillar of democracy.