CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Press Club strongly condemns the high-handed behaviour of Chandigarh Police officials towards journalists covering the ongoing students’ protest at Panjab University.
The incident occurred at Gate No. 1 of the university, where journalists — including Lalit Sharma, along with his team members and other media professionals — were manhandled and denied entry despite possessing valid media identity cards. It is highly unfortunate that police officials, including Inspector Rohtash Kumar Yadav and IPS Manjeet Sheoran, were involved in such misconduct.
The police personnel went to the extent of threatening the journalists with arrest, an act that is unacceptable in a democratic society where freedom of the press is a constitutional right.
As media professionals, we fully understand and respect the police’s responsibility to maintain law and order. However, it is equally important that the police exercise restraint and show due sensitivity towards members of the press, who play a crucial role in ensuring transparency and informing the public.
The Chandigarh Press Club demands an immediate inquiry into the incident. We also urge the Chandigarh Administration to issue clear directions to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.