Assault on scribe: NHRC seeks report from Punjab DGP

he NHRC, which took note of a media report about the attack, observed that the incident, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo motu cognisance of the assault on a journalist by two Punjab Police officials in full public in the Batala area of Gurdaspur district, and has called for a detailed report from the director general of police (DGP).

The attack on the journalist took place on August 1, and the incident came to light when a video went viral on social media.

The NHRC, which took note of a media report about the attack, observed that the incident, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights. “Therefore, it has issued a notice to the state director general of police calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks,” according to an official release. It said the report is expected to include the status of the investigation and the health condition of the victim journalist.

The attack on the journalist took place on August 1, and the incident came to light when a video went viral on social media. In the video, the two cops, one in uniform and the other in plain clothes, can be seen dragging the journalist and punching him on a busy street in Batala. The one wearing uniform kicked him, causing the scribe to fall down on the road. As he lay motionless in a puddle, the policemen walked away.