M.K. Gupta
Yesterday, on 18.10.10, Anil Kumar, reporter, Aaj Tak was on official assignment to cover the conditions of roads in Dwarka. When he was coving the condition of roads and drain near Hotel Park Plaza at Sector 13, Security Guard of the hotel asked him for the reason for taking photo and the reporter told that and showed his identity card that he is from the media. He also told that for this, no permission from the hotel is required. Suddenly, three staff members of the hotel have attacked him and his assistant Vinod premising that they are taking photos of the Hotel. They damaged the camera. Reporter saved himself by running while his assistant was caught and was kept inside hotel in illegal confinement for some time allegedly till the police arrived.
On the call of the reporter, Shri Surendra Kumar, ACP and PCR visited the spot and taken all the persons to the Sector 16-B Police Station. On receiving the information, Shri Ashok Chaitanya, Advocate, M. K. Gupta of Dwarka Forum and Mr. Mohit Sharma, Advocate went to the Police Station and later Mr. Sushil Kumar, General Secretary of the Forum joined them. In a bid to compromise, Mr. Tyagi, from the Management side of the hotel also came to the Police Station but the reporter refused any compromise. Anil told that his medical examination was conducted at DDU hospital at night and an FIR was registered. According to him, all the three members of the staff were also arrested and released on bail in the morning.
Dwarka Forum condemns attack on the media and more so while it is working to highlight the road conditions in the area. Even if the reporter was taking photos of the hotel from outside, there was nothing illegal and no permission was required. Hotel has put up on its own big hoardings with photographs as its promotion campaign and therefore it is beyond comprehension what the staff wanted to hide from the Camera.
Labels: Citizens Reporter, delhi police, problems and issues, security