A photojournalist of a Hindi daily was beaten up by the police and arrested in Allahabad on Sunday night. Hemant Chaudhary, however, termed the police action arbitrary, the Indian Express has reported.
Chaudhary claimed that he was trying to take photographs of the Allahabad Museum on Sunday evening, when the museum guards objected and snatched his camera and mobile phone. They dragged him inside the museum campus and along with a policeman thrashed him.
During the clash, the policeman sustained minor injuries. He later filed an FIR against Chaudhary with the Colonelganj police station. Another FIR was lodged on the complaint of the museum guards, who alleged that Chaudhary had entered the museum premises without permission.
Subsequently, the photographer was locked up at the Colonelganj police station. His family members and colleagues were not allowed to meet him. He was produced in the court on Monday and was sent to the Naini jail. Senior Superintendent of Police B K Singh said, “Action will be taken if the policeman and the guards are found guilty.â€
Members of the journalists’ unions have demanded scrapping of the FIR against Chaudhary.
