NEW DELHI: Three women journalists have accused Indian police officers of sexually harassing them while they covered protests in New Delhi demanding the resignation of the country’s election chief.
The allegations were made on Saturday as police detained scores of protesters at Jantar Mantar, a government-designated protest site in the capital.
Delhi Police said it had received complaints from three female journalists and transferred them to its Crime Branch for an enquiry.
“Delhi police said they are too busy today and there is no senior officer to discuss regarding FIR.
Victims will take part in march from India Gate to Jantar Mantar to raise their issues.”
– CJP’s Ratna Singh on alleged sexual harassment of 3 female journalists by cop https://t.co/ew99hOD8wc
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) October 4, 2026
One of the journalists alleged that an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) sexually assaulted her while she was recording police action during the protest.
She alleged that the officer touched her “inappropriately” and pushed her away while she was filming.
The journalist also alleged that she and other journalists later went to a police station to lodge a complaint, but that it was not registered immediately.
“If the Delhi Police does not file a FIR against the police official accused of sexually assaulting a woman journalist, then Parliament Street Police Station will become another Jantar Mantar.”
SFI General Secretary Srijan Bhattacharya speaks from outside the Parliament Street Police Station. SFI has extended solidarity with the independent woman journalist and has assured her that they will stand firmly with her in her fight for justice.
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) October 4, 2026
The Press Council of India expressed “shock and dismay” over the treatment of the female journalists by police.
It said such behaviour could not be normalised in a democracy and that journalists must be allowed to work freely and document people raising various issues without fear.
The council called on Delhi Police to act immediately on the complaint and ensure that journalists can perform their duties without facing aggression or threats.
This is the journalist Rozi; she alleges that while she was filming a video, Delhi Police ACP Vivek Bhagat groped her breast and shoved her.
Rozi sat at the Parliament Street police station seeking to file an FIR against him, but the FIR was not registered https://t.co/h5qYc5w8zF— Naira Seth (@Naira_Seth1) October 4, 2026
Protesters demand election chief’s resignation
The allegations came as protesters rallied for a third consecutive day on Sunday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests began on Friday, with demonstrators demanding Kumar’s resignation over allegations of wrongdoing during a large-scale revision of voter rolls that has removed millions of names from the lists.
Thousands of protesters marched in Mumbai on Sunday, demanding that Kumar step down.
“Mumbai is out on the streets again for free and fair elections!” Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) chief Abhijeet Dipke said in a social media post.
“Solidarity with all the protestors,” he added. “All Indians need to come together. It’s now or never!”
In New Delhi, activists, including CJP supporters, gathered outside a police station on Sunday to demand action over the allegations against police officers.
CJP activist Saurav Das said on social media that a delegation with the alleged victim was inside the police station.
Dipke said the accused officer “must be arrested immediately”.
The CJP began in May as a satirical online movement and later succeeded in a campaign to oust the then education minister.
Opposition demands answers
Opposition politicians have accused the ECI of acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
They have said they will march to the Election Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday and hold “Save Democracy” rallies across the country afterwards.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also demanded answers from Home Minister Amit Shah over allegations of misconduct by Delhi Police personnel during Saturday’s protest.
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on social media that Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and that Shah should respond to the allegations.
He said a female journalist had accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar and alleged that hundreds of journalists had been there for hours demanding that a first information report (FIR) be registered.
Gandhi also alleged that hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar, while women protesters faced misconduct, cameras were snatched and journalists were dragged away.
He said similar incidents involving women and police officers had occurred previously and that women and students across Delhi were staging protests over concerns about their safety.
Gandhi questioned what the government was protecting by failing to register a woman’s complaint and called on Shah to respond.
The CJP has also called for a “massive mobilisation of young Indians” in New Delhi on October 10.
