Press organisations and opposition leaders have rallied behind the two journalists, demanding an impartial probe and preservation of CCTV footage from the venue and police station.
BY PC Bureau
September 4, 2026: The standoff at Saket Police Station continued into Friday morning as two journalists who alleged they were assaulted by Delhi Police during a high-security event remained at the station with supporters, demanding registration of an FIR against the personnel they accused of beating them.
Freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan of 4PM News Network staged an overnight sit-in at the police station after alleging that they were detained and assaulted following their attempt to question Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the inauguration of a new wing at Max Hospital in Saket on September 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the event.
The journalists have alleged that they were first stopped at the venue and subsequently taken to Saket Police Station, where they were slapped and beaten with batons. They further alleged that communal slurs were used against them and that the treatment became more aggressive after police personnel learnt their surname was “Khan”.
The two women later appeared on camera displaying bruises and other marks that they said were sustained during the alleged assault. Videos purportedly recorded inside the police station also circulated widely on social media, adding to the pressure on Delhi Police to respond to the allegations.
Overnight protest
Shaheen and Nafisa, accompanied by more than a dozen supporters, remained at Saket Police Station through the night, pressing officers to register their complaint.
Posts and videos circulated on social media showing supporters confronting police personnel at the station during the early hours of Friday. Activist Huda Zariwala was seen in one widely circulated video questioning officers at around 2 am.
A relative of the journalists also recorded an account of the alleged assault and appealed for action against the personnel accused of beating them.
The journalists said they intended to undergo medico-legal examinations at AIIMS, which could provide independent medical documentation of any injuries.
As of early Friday, however, it remained unclear from public reporting whether an FIR had been registered on the allegations made by the two journalists.
READ: ‘Cracked His Skull’: Hindutava Activist’s Jail-Free Boast Sparks Outrage
Police maintain earlier version
Delhi Police have rejected the journalists’ account and maintained that their detention had nothing to do with their attempt to question the Chief Minister or their religious identity.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said the journalists had parked a scooter in a manner that obstructed a designated VVIP route during the event. According to police, the women were repeatedly asked to move the vehicle but refused, following which they were taken to the police station for inquiry as part of the security arrangements.
Police described allegations that the women were assaulted for questioning the Chief Minister as “false, misleading and baseless”.
The police have also rejected allegations that personnel assaulted the journalists inside the station or targeted them because they were Muslims.
The conflicting accounts have now placed the focus on evidence that could establish what happened both at the hospital event and inside the police station. The journalists and their supporters have demanded preservation of CCTV footage from the venue and the station.
Press bodies demand action
The allegations have drawn a strong response from journalists’ organisations.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association and Kerala Union of Working Journalists have condemned the alleged assault and demanded action against the police personnel involved, including officials at Saket Police Station.
The organisations have called for an impartial investigation into the allegations and questioned how journalists could be detained and allegedly assaulted while carrying out their professional duties.
They also alleged that the women were first manhandled at the venue and later taken to a room inside the police station, where they were allegedly beaten by police personnel, including women officers.
The journalists’ allegation that their religious identity became a factor in the alleged assault has added a communal dimension to the controversy.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists,
Press Association, and Kerala Union of Working Journalist strongly condemn and
call for punitive action against Delhi Police officials posted at the Saket Police Station,
including the Station House… pic.twitter.com/aC7P19Hbkw— Press Club of India (@PCITweets) September 3, 2026
Allegations of Police Assault on Female Journalists in #Delhi
Horrifying account from AIIMS Trauma Center where journalists Shaheen and Nafeesa were brought after allegedly being locked in a room and beaten by @DelhiPolice. Despite spending 6 hours at the hospital, no senior… https://t.co/QMktkxmqSi pic.twitter.com/zh0f8WBENg
— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) September 3, 2026
Opposition steps in
The episode has also triggered criticism from opposition leaders.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the alleged treatment of the journalists and questioned the conduct of the Delhi Police. Congress leaders, including spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed and MP Imran Pratapgarhi, expressed solidarity with the women and called for an investigation if the allegations are established.
The Opposition has sought accountability from the Delhi government and police, while supporters of the journalists have argued that the allegations should not be dismissed without an independent examination of the evidence.
What are these horrifying visuals coming out of a Delhi police station?
Women journalists being beaten and thrashed for asking questions about the Delhi CM.
And when the police allegedly discovered that one of these journalists was Muslim, the assault intensified.
Is this a… https://t.co/jHH7E6metC
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) September 3, 2026
FIR remains the immediate demand
For the journalists and their supporters, the immediate issue is now the registration of an FIR against the police personnel they accuse of assaulting them.
Their overnight sit-in was aimed at keeping pressure on police to formally take up their complaint rather than treating the matter solely as a security-related detention.
The journalists have also sought preservation of CCTV footage, arguing that recordings from the hospital premises and the police station could help establish whether they were assaulted and what happened during their detention.
The police position, meanwhile, remains that the women were detained because their scooter allegedly obstructed a VVIP route and that the allegations of assault and communal targeting are baseless.
New India where you can neither question BJP nor Delhi Police…
A @4pmnews_network journalist claims Delhi Police detained and beat her for questioning the BJP government, alleging the assault worsened after she identified herself as Shaheen Khan. pic.twitter.com/qWwbMo8j2r
— D (@Deb_livnletliv) September 3, 2026
