Telangana DGP assures action against officer who assaulted journalist

HYDERABAD: Following a meeting with a delegation of journalists, Telangana's Director General of Police, Dr Jitender, on Thursday assured that action would be taken against CI Rajender and other officials accused of assaulting Zee Telugu reporter Sri Charan at Osmania University.

The incident, which took place during student protests against the DSC exam notification on Wednesday, has sparked outrage and condemnation from journalist unions and political leaders alike.

The delegation, which included Zee Telugu News Chief Editor Bharat, presented video evidence of the incident involving Zee Telugu reporter Sri Charan. Charan was covering a student protest against the District Selection Committee (DSC) exam notification when two OU police sub-inspectors forcibly dragged him to a police vehicle and detained him.

Adding to the outrage, reports indicate that a senior police officer demanded the camera crew delete footage of Charan's detention. Journalists from other Telugu channels, including TV9 Telugu and 10TV, were also prevented from covering the protests.

This incident is not an isolated one. Earlier this month, an RTV cameraperson was barred from entering Gandhi Hospital to cover a hunger strike.

Meanwhile, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao highlighted another disturbing case involving a tribal youngster, Maloth Suresh Babu, who was allegedly picked up by the Thorrur police and subjected to severe torture for posting a WhatsApp message criticizing a local MLA's personal assistant.

These incidents have raised serious concerns about press freedom and the escalating aggression towards journalists in Telangana. KTR condemned the police's actions, calling the arrest of journalists "outrageous" and a blatant violation of press freedom. He questioned whether it was a crime for journalists to cover protests and emphasized that such actions were unacceptable in a democracy.

KTR has urged the DGP to intervene and end these unlawful practices. He stressed that while some officers may believe they are serving the ruling dispensation, their actions are damaging the integrity of the State Police Department and eroding public trust in law enforcement. He called on the police to act within the bounds of the law, uphold citizens' rights, and ensure the safety and freedom of the press.

Former minister T Harish Rao echoed these sentiments, labelling the police's actions as "tyrannical" and a direct assault on media rights. Both leaders demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists.

The DGP responded sympathetically to the journalists' concerns and recommended that the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad take departmental action against the officials responsible for assaulting the journalist.