Editors Guild urges MHA to act after journalists stripped in MP, chained in Odisha

The Editors Guild of India has expressed shock over the manner in which police arrested, stripped, and humiliated a local journalist in Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh, and chained another journalist in Balasore, Odisha.

The guild has urged the ministry of home affairs to “act immediately and take strict actions”. “The inhumane manner in which journalists, stringers and district reporters are often treated by the police, in an effort to suppress independent reporting is a matter of grave concern.”

The incident in Sidhi took place on April 2 when eight people, including a journalist, were stripped and assaulted inside a police station, and their pictures leaked on social media by the police. Two police officers are now facing disciplinary action after the pictures triggered outrage on Thursday.

Newslaundry had reported how the main accused – who is a theatre artiste – arrested in the case had alleged that he was framed over a Facebook profile that posted critical comments about the local BJP MLA’s work. As his supporters gathered to protest his arrest, the journalist was there to cover it, the Guild noted in its statement.

The incident in Balasore took place on Thursday. A journalist – who fell unconscious after being allegedly assaulted by the police – was chained to a bed using handcuffs at a hospital, and was released after the visuals were aired on local news channels, according to a report by Sambad English.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, slammed the Madhya Pradesh government over the incident in Sidhi. “The fourth pillar of democracy ‍was dismantled in the lockup!” he tweeted.