Assault on reporter of The Caravan Magazine in Delhi - Statement by the Editors Guild of India, October 21, 2020

Editors Guild of India

October 21, 2020

Editors Guild of India is dismayed at the brazen attack by a Delhi Police official on a journalist of The Caravan magazine while he was carrying out his duty as a member of the press.

On 16 October, Mr Ahan Penkar was reporting on the alleged rape and murder of a teenaged Dalit girl in North Delhi. The teenaged girl’s family and some student activists had organised a protest outside the Model Town police station. The police detained the protestors as well as Penkar, even when he was performing his professional duty. Despite displaying his press credentials, Penkar was slapped, kicked and detained by the Police for 4 hours. His phone was seized and his reported material including photographs were deleted.

The egregious assault on Caravan’s reporter violates constitutional principles and media’s right to report freely. EGI demands strict action from the Union Home Ministry and Delhi Police Commissioner against police officials involved in this assault so that such incidents do not take place in the future. Also, it should instruct halting of any case against the journalist.

Penkar is the fourth journalist from The Caravan who has been attacked in the last two months in the Indian capital.

Seema Mustafa, President
Sanjay Kapoor General Secretary
Anant Nath Treasurer