Three women journalists file sexual harassment complaints at Jantar Mantar protest, crime branch to probe

Three women who identified themselves as journalists have filed a complaint alleging manhandling by Delhi Police personnel while they were detained at an October 3 protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an official said on Sunday (Oct 4).

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Neha Yadav said the complaint was lodged around 6 pm. It has been registered, medical examinations have been conducted, and the matter has been referred to the Crime Branch. She appealed to anyone with relevant footage to share it with the Crime Branch.

Yadav said Section 163 of the BNSS was in force in the area, but the All India Students' Association (AISA) and other parties still held a protest against the SIR on October 3. She said protesters were warned to vacate the site under that provision, and were detained when they refused.

Delhi Police said on X that three women journalists had made allegations of sexual harassment against police officers during the protest in the New Delhi area, which it described as a law-and-order situation. It said New Delhi District has received their complaints.

On Saturday (Oct 3), Delhi Police detained several AISA members during a protest near Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, as demonstrations over the SIR of electoral rolls continued in the capital. Protesters, including AISA president Neha Bora and senior advocates Prashant Bhushan and Kapil Sibal, attempted to breach police barricades near Jantar Mantar.

Police have also registered at least three FIRs over the mass protest held near Jantar Mantar on October 2. Two were registered at Parliament Street Police Station and one at Connaught Place Police Station.

The controversy followed a report in The Indian Express saying Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months. The objections concerned decisions on electoral rolls, voter registration and the Commission's technology systems.

The Election Commission rejected the suggestion that these amounted to institutional dissent over final decisions. It said operational queries, inputs and suggestions raised at the draft stage are part of its standard administrative and decision-making process. The Election Commission also stated that decisions on the schedule of the SIR exercise were unanimous.