Mandeep Punia, a journalist has been detained by Delhi police from Singhu protest site for allegedly misbehaving with Station House Officer (SHO). The Indian Express has published a report on the same.
As per reports, Punia is a freelance journalist with The Caravan magazine. He was detained while he was covering clashes ensued on January 29 at Singhu protest site.
Now the farmers are demanding his release. According to some farmers, Mandeep Punia exposed the nexus allegedly between BJP workers and stone pelting goons. He is not the only journalist detained by the police, Dharmender Singh, a journalist working with Online News India, was also detained by the police but as per report published in The Indian Express, he was later released after he showed his press card.
#MandeepPunia exposed the nexus of police & BJP workers. He identified many BJP workers among the stone pelting goons. He also explained the hackjobs of some media outlets. This is why he is detained. Let that sink in. #ReleaseMandeepPunia pic.twitter.com/9lDrl6a9SP
— Kisan Ekta Morcha (@Kisanektamorcha) January 30, 2021
Hartosh Singh Bal, Political Editor of The Caravan magazine, in a tweet said, the FIR has been registered under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.
we have been informed by addl DCP J. Meena that FIR 52/21 PS Alipur has been filed under sections 186, 332, 353 IPC, we'll take whatever legal recourse is necessary. We've learnt Mandeep had spent the morning trying to track down those from bjp claiming to be 'locals' at Singhu https://t.co/VBUfXAmfs5
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) January 30, 2021
Meanwhile, according to several reports, the misleading claims were busted by Alt News about those claiming to be locals. According to Alt News, those were not only locals but also Hindu-Sena (a fringe group) backed protesters who were demanding to vacate the protest site from farmers.
Despite heavy security, the alleged locals were allowed
to go near the protest site.
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