Published • loading... • Updated
At Least 37 Journalists Detained, Several Assaulted, While Covering Protests Against India’s Election Chief
Police detained reporters from independent and mainstream outlets and seized phones as protests over election chief Gyanesh Kumar drew a crackdown, journalists said.
- On Saturday, October 10, 2026, Delhi Police detained at least 12 journalists covering a Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi, despite reporters prominently displaying their press identification cards.
- Protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, opposing a controversial voter roll revision that removed 130 million names from electoral lists.
- Security forces deployed more than 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel across Delhi, while reporters described a two-tier system allowing legacy media access but barring independent journalists from the protest site.
- The DIGIPUB News India Foundation demanded immediate release of those detained, as journalists reported being forced onto police buses and having phones snatched despite identifying themselves as press.
- India ranks 157th out of 180 countries in the latest Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, raising concerns for journalist safety ahead of the 2029 federal elections.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
30 Articles
30 Articles
At least 37 journalists detained, several assaulted, while covering protests against India’s election chief
New Delhi, October 12, 2026 — More than three dozen journalists were temporarily detained, and in some cases assaulted, while they were covering protests against the country’s chief election commissioner over allegations of voter-list manipulation in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune on October 10 and 11. In New Delhi, where the main protests broke out,...
·New York, United States
Read Full Article
Reporters accuse India of crackdown on journalists, press freedom at youth-led protests
By Arpan Chaturvedi, Shivangi Acharya and Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Police used excessive and targeted force on journalists covering youth-led protests in India, local press groups and international media rights bodies said, and wa...
Coverage Details
Total News Sources30
Leaning Left11Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution61% Left
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources lean Left
61% Left
L 61%
C 22%
R 17%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
