NEW DELHI: Fresh allegations that two Muslim women journalists were assaulted after being detained by Delhi Police have once again brought scrutiny on allegations of discriminatory treatment and human-rights violations involving Muslims in the Indian capital.
Journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan have alleged that they were detained while covering an event in Saket and assaulted inside the police station. Shaheen Khan further alleged that police personnel asked about their community and that the alleged assault became more severe after officers learned that they were Muslim. Delhi Police has rejected the allegations as factually incorrect and misleading, saying the women were taken to the station after allegedly obstructing a designated VVIP route.
The latest allegations have revived wider concerns over the treatment of Muslims by law-enforcement agencies in Delhi. During the 2020 communal riots, Amnesty International alleged that Delhi Police personnel were involved in serious human-rights violations, including excessive use of force and alleged attacks on Muslim residents and protesters, and called for an impartial investigation.
Rights groups and journalists have also documented allegations of arbitrary detention, excessive force and discriminatory policing affecting Muslims in the aftermath of communal tensions. At the same time, individual allegations remain matters for investigation and should not automatically be treated as established findings against every police officer or the entire Delhi Police force.
The latest Saket incident has therefore intensified calls from press and civil-rights organisations for an independent investigation, accountability for any proven misconduct and safeguards against discrimination based on religious identity.
