UP: Railway police assault journalist covering train derailment in Shamli, two officers suspended
The journalist, who works for a Hindi television channel, alleged he was stripped and beaten up.
Government Railway Police personnel allegedly beat up a journalist covering the derailment of a goods train near Shamli city of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The journalist, who works with Hindi television channel News24, alleged that he was dragged to the GRP station in Shamli where he was stripped and harassed, reported Times Now.
GRP Superintendent of Police, Moradabad, Subhash Chandra Dubey suspended inspector Rakesh Kumar and constable Sanjay Pawar. He has also sought a detailed report within 24 hours.
The matter came to light after a video of the assault was widely shared on social media. In the video, Kumar can be seen slapping the journalist. His subordinates also assaulted the journalist and urinated in his mouth despite his repeated pleas. “They were in plain clothes,” said the journalist. “One hit my camera and it fell down. When I picked it up, they hit and abused me.”
The journalist was detained for a night. An order was issued to release him on Wednesday morning, reported India Today. In another video, the journalist can be seen narrating his ordeal from behind bars while Kumar sits on a chair and rejects all his charges.
It is not clear why the GRP personnel objected to the journalist covering the derailment.
The train accident took place near Dhimanpura in Shamli when two wagons of a goods train derailed around 8.50 pm on Tuesday. There were no casualties.