Politics · India · 3 hrs ago
Journalists condemn Delhi police treatment during protests over election chief
Protests in New Delhi over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were met with police action over the weekend of October 10 and 11.
Journalists from several media organisations said they were assaulted or detained while covering the protests.
On October 13, they gathered at the Press Club of India to condemn the police response and call for protection for media workers.
Their concern is that police action can threaten journalists’ ability to do their jobs and report on public protests.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas separately alleged that police assaulted him while he spoke to reporters, and asked senior officials for an independent investigation and accountability.
The protests were called by the Cockroach Janta Party and backed by opposition parties seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged election-related irregularities.
Journalists called for dialogue with Delhi Police, but the police had not issued a statement on the reported incidents three days later.
Journalists gathered at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on October 13 to condemn Delhi Police actions against media professionals covering protests over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Journalists described being assaulted or detained during protests over the weekend of October 10 to 11.
Senior journalists said the police actions threatened journalists’ safety and ability to work.
CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas separately alleged that police assaulted him while he spoke to the media during a protest on October 11.
Brittas wrote to senior officials seeking an independent investigation and accountability.
- Who
- Journalists from several media organisations, and CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas.
- What
- Journalists condemned police actions against media professionals covering protests. Brittas alleged that police assaulted him and sought an investigation.
- When
- Protests took place over the weekend of October 10 to 11, 2026; journalists met on October 13.
- Where
- New Delhi, including the Press Club of India and areas near Jantar Mantar.
- Why
- Demonstrators sought Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities involving the Election Commission and the revision of electoral rolls.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Protests took place in New Delhi, with journalists reporting assaults and detentions by police.
John Brittas wrote to senior officials alleging that police assaulted him while he spoke to the media during a protest.
Journalists gathered at the Press Club of India to condemn police actions and held a symbolic march.
- Journalists’ gathering
- Press Club of India, New Delhi, October 13, 2026
- Protest period
- Weekend of October 10–11, 2026
- Brittas’s complaint
- Letters to the Chief Justice of India, President and Rajya Sabha Chairman
- Sunday detentions
- More than 200 demonstrators
- Security deployment
- More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel
- Protest demand
- Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
What people are saying
the State wants to decide who will document its actions
A journalist’s role in a democracy is vital as journalism is a public good and the attack on journalists is a violation of that constitutional right and that is why we organised the press conference
The Government cannot intimidate democracy into silence.
the media has to be treated as an enemy and a suspect
Sources
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