Delhi Police book officer for sexually harassing journalist during JNU students’ march
Meanwhile, the JNU Students’ Union has filed a police complaint against the alleged brutality by police during Friday’s march.
The Delhi Police filed a case on Monday against a station house officer three days after he allegedly sexually harassed a journalist during a protest by students of Jawaharlal Nehru University on March 23, senior officials told Scroll.in. The journalist had accused the officer, Vidyadhar Singh, of pushing her and placing his hand on her chest while she was covering the demonstration.
The police had initiated a vigilance inquiry against Singh, the station house officer of Delhi Cantonment Police station, who was deployed on special duty in the INA market area where the students clashed with police. The Crime Branch is investigating the matter and Singh has been transferred to the district lines station.
The police have also registered a case of rioting, assaulting public servants and other charges against at least 22 identified and several unidentified students who were part of the protest.
Meanwhile, the JNU Students’ Union filed a police complaint on Monday against the alleged brutality by police personnel during the march to Parliament Street. The union alleged that policemen had “selectively targeted” women protestors and groping them and tearing their clothes.
Students and teachers of JNU had organised the march to protest against several administration policies and moves. The police halted the march near Delhi’s INA Market and used water cannons on protestors. Media professionals reported incidents of assault, intimidation and molestation against them by male as well as female police personnel. A video showed police personnel purportedly roughing up two female journalists during the rally.
Hours later, police filed a case against the protestors on several charges, including one for “outraging the modesty of women”, but none against the alleged assault. In protest, several journalists staged a demonstration outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Saturday, and organised another protest on Monday.
On Sunday, the Delhi Police suspended a female constable and a male head constable for “unprofessional conduct” after they were accused of snatching a photojournalist’s camera during the march.