YouTubers claim assault at Saket police station after covering Delhi event, police deny
Two female YouTubers say they were beaten by Delhi Police at Saket station after being detained while covering an inauguration; police reject the allegation as false.
Two women who run YouTube channels reported that Delhi Police personnel beat them inside Saket police station after they were detained while filming the inauguration of a new wing at Max Hospital in South Delhi, an event that featured Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Rekha Gupta. In a video, one said they were taken to a room and assaulted, also alleging questions about their community. Police say the pair parked near a designated VVIP route, ignored repeated orders to move, caused a disturbance and even manhandled a pregnant officer, and were released within minutes without restraint.
Deputy Commissioner Anant Mittal called the accusations “totally false, misleading and baseless.” Press bodies including the Press Club of India and the Delhi Union of Journalists have called for a fair investigation, and the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP-led government of suppressing journalists. The allegations remain unverified.
Why it matters
Alleged police abuse of journalists raises concerns about press freedom and law-enforcement accountability in Delhi.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage stresses the journalists' allegations of police beating, the alleged religious motive and political outrage, while centrist coverage highlights the police’s denial and labels the claims as “factually incorrect” and “misleading”.
LEFT
Frames the incident as a police assault on two women journalists, emphasizing alleged Muslim-targeted abuse and condemnation from opposition parties.
CENTER
Frames the incident as a contested claim, foregrounding the police’s denial and describing the allegations as potentially misleading.
The left emphasises
- journalists say they were beaten after being taken to Saket police station
- alleged assault intensified after officers heard the journalist’s surname and identified her as Muslim
- Aam Aadmi Party and Congress leaders expressed outrage and called for accountability
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