Women journalists allege sexual harassment by cops; Rahul asks HM to answer for Delhi police 'misbehaviour'

Three women journalists have alleged sexual harassment by police personnel during an October 3 protest at Jantar Mantar, following which the Delhi Police transferred their complaints to the Crime Branch for an impartial inquiry, an officer said on Sunday.

The complaints were received by the New Delhi district police following the alleged incidents during the protest, when police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order, the officer said.

The district police have transferred the complaints to the Crime Branch for a fair and impartial enquiry, the officer said.

The allegations were made by the three journalists against police personnel, the officer said.

The Crime Branch will examine the allegations and record statements of the complainants and other persons concerned as part of the enquiry, the officer said.

On Saturday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded answers from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on allegations of misconduct with women by Delhi Police personnel during the Jantar Mantar protest.

In an X post in Hindi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that since Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Amit Shah must answer.

"A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn't that the police's basic duty? They haven't even done that," Gandhi said.

.Nearly 200 detained after AISA, other protesters return to Jantar Mantar for a second day.

He said that on Saturday alone, hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar.

"There are allegations of misconduct with women protesters. Cameras were snatched, journalists were dragged. And this isn't the first time -- we've seen video evidence of police officers engaging in disgusting misconduct with women earlier," he said.

He alleged that women and students across Delhi, who are gripped by fear for their safety, are staging satyagraha, but the police responsible for protecting them are raising hands against them instead.

"And a government that fears registering even one woman's complaint -- what exactly is it protecting? Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah ji, where are you? You have to answer for this," Gandhi wrote.

Left-wing student organisation All India Students' Association (AISA) has also made a similar complaint.

"Women protesters, journalists and lawyers were manhandled by male police. Several women have complained of being groped by male police personnel," AISA said in a statement.

"A police force that claims to ensure justice to women cannot maintain basic protocols of crowd management. Male police officers openly abused women protesters and behaved in the most unprofessional way," it said.