Bhopal: In what comes as a massive insult of journalist is an incident reported from, a BJP ruled district, Sidhi Min MP. A video making rounds on the social media, claimed that a group of journalists were arrested and coerced to strip at a local police station. In a photo shared along with the post, 8 men are seen standing half naked with hands clasped.
Local journalists and a You Tuber who has is seen in the video reportedly had gone to cover the arrest of a theatre artist Neeraj Kunder who was arrested for allegedly making indecent remarks on the BJP MLA Kedarnath Shukla and his son Guru Dutt using a fake ID. As per reports, all journalists were beaten up and asked to strip. Reports also claimed that the arrest was sought on the complaint filed by the BJP MLA.
Interacting with the media personnel, Mukesh Kumar Shrivastava, Sidhi SP claimed none of them were journalists but miscreants who were preventively being detained. Responding to queries on the video making rounds on social media, he said-
“It’s a normal procedure to ensure that none of them could attempt anything unwanted, such as killing themselves. The photo has come to my attention – and I have ordered enquiry into the matter. Whosoever clicked and distributed the photo will soon be found and legal action will be taken against those involved.”
Several people have expressed their anguish on social media over the humiliation of these journalists by the police. Youth Congress head, Srinivas took a jibe at the BJP government and said, “State of journalism in India” while sharing a picture of all journalists sitting on the floor.