Editors Guild Urges Release of Times Now Reporter Detained by Punjab Police

The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has expressed its concern over the recent detention of Times Now reporter Bhavana Kishore by the Punjab police, highlighting that established norms were not followed during her arrest. The EGI has called for Kishore's release and urged the Punjab government to direct its law enforcement agencies to adhere to standard procedures.
Bhavana Kishore, a reporter with Times Network, was involved in an accident while on a reporting assignment in Punjab. Times Now stated that despite not driving the car, Kishore was detained by the police and taken away by a male officer, without the presence of a female police officer. This action goes against established procedures regarding the arrest or detention of women.

In addition, an FIR was filed in a Ludhiana police station, which EGI believes to be excessive and carried out with undue haste. The Guild urges the Punjab government to release Kishore from detention and ensure that the police follow established procedures in the future.

EGI also points out that law enforcement agencies should have exercised greater restraint when dealing with a journalist on assignment, particularly when it comes to detention and the filing of an FIR. This incident adds to a growing list of concerns about the attitude of law enforcement agencies towards journalists in India. - TWL Bureau