'See My Press Card': Reporters Detained, Manhandled At Jantar Mantar Protest

Delhi police manhandled and attempted to detain several journalists at the 'anti-Gyanesh Kumar' protest today.

(Photo: Instagram)

Delhi police detained, manhandled several journalists — especially those working independently — alongside other protestors at the Jantar Mantar protest on 2 October, Friday who had gathered to demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation amid SIR irregularities.

Many videos have come to surface wherein reporters and media personnel can be seen showing their Press card or ID cards repeatedly and yet being forced away by the Delhi police.

Earlier in the day, Maktoob media's Fida Fathima and Jibraan Uddin were also forced, manhandled and by the police who attempted to detain them. This police crackdown became more intensified during the day at Jantar Mantar where hundreds of protestors, including political leaders such as AAP MP Sanjay Singh, RJD's Manoj Jha and CPI (M)'s Brinda Karat were also detained.

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Azamgarh's reputed journalist Rajiv Talwar was also pushed into a bus. He said: "Ye desh kisi party Adhikari ka baap ka nahi hain.." (This country does not belong to any government's official). These detentions also mark a difference from the July-CJP protest where this sort of an action by the state against journalists was not widely seen.

Another journalist Harsh Yadav who had extensively covered the CJP-led student protest in July, even showing back then how his Press card saved him from police brutality, was manhandled by the Delhi police this time.

"DCP Sachin Sharma, I have my Press card," shouted Harsh as he held up his card. He was manhandled and pushed towards the bus. "They won't be able to stop us if the independent media starts protesting," said Yadav.

Another digital journalist, Mohd Ayan held his Press card and showed it to the police who asked, "PIB card hain?" (Do you have a PIB card?) and pushed him inside the bus.

In another video, police stopped a set of journalists in Connaught Place near Jantar Mantar. The reporter repeatedly asked them what their mistake was and why they are being forced away. "ID dekhiye please, hum sirf cover kar rahe the" (see our IDs, we were only reporting), they said. The police paused and saw their ID cards before taking them away.

The crackdown against journalists and smaller YouTube scribes comes on the heels of heavy police deployment and barricading at Jantar Mantar where women protestors and even the elderly were forced away by the police.

In this context, it is important to note that India is ranked 157th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).