TV channel reporter claims assault

A reporter of a private television news channel alleges that two men on a motorcycle attacked her with a helmet near her office in New Delhi.

A reporter of a private television news channel has alleged that two men on a motorcycle attacked her with a helmet near her office in New Delhi on late Monday, but police said she suffered injuries in an accident.

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Payal Singh, a reporter with Aaj Tak, was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with head injuries after she was allegedly attacked near the Jhandewalan metro station at around 10:30 pm on Monday. "I was waiting for an auto rickshaw when two men came towards me on a motorcycle and before I could react they started hitting me with a helmet on my head," Singh told police in her statement.

"It happened all of a sudden, people who were standing nearby didn't even realise what had happened. The men sped off in no time," Singh added.

However, police officials said she suffered injuries in an accident.

"After recording her statement we had registered a case on charges of culpable homicide not amount to murder last night, but we have sufficient evidence that she suffered injuries in an accident," Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told IANS.

"We are now converting the case of culpable homicide into an accident case," Bhagat added.

According to the police, after completing work on Monday, Singh was waiting for an auto rickshaw to go for a movie with her cousin.

But she suffered injuries on her right wrist, face and forehead when a scooter and its rider fell on her after being hit by a mini truck. Police have arrested the truck driver Nannu Khan, a Gokulpuri resident.

"Singh first reached her Videocon Tower office with the help of a passerby called Uma Kant, who also called an ambulance and the police control room. The security guard posted at the channel office rushed her to the Sir Ganga Ram hospital," Bhagat said.

"The officials and ambulance staff also asked her if she wanted to be treated in a government hospital, but she refused. On Tuesday morning, when Delhi Aaj Tak manipulated the story, the eyewitness (Uma Kant) approached the police and narrated the entire incident to the investigating team," he added.

The police spokesman the owner of the truck had admitted that Singh sustained injuries during the accident and she was not attacked at all.

However, the television channel has strongly criticised the Delhi Police and demanded that the accused be arrested immediately.