Senior journalist ‘forcibly’ picked by U.P. police

A senior scribe of a news channel was allegedly picked up “forcibly” by police in Hazratganj area here after which journalists staged a demonstration near Chief Minister Mayawati’s residence.

Shalabh Mani Tripathi, state bureau chief of Hindi news channel IBN7, was picked up by SP (City) BP Ashok and Circle Officer Anup Kumar while he was coming out of his office on Sunday evening, Mr. Tripathi’s colleagues alleged.

They alleged that the police not only manhandled Tripathi, but also thrashed his assistant and took them to the police station forcibly.

Police have threatened to implicate Tripathi in false case, they alleged.

Protesting the incident, journalists staged a demonstration near Chief Minister’s residence.

Meanwhile, principal secretary to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Navneet Sehgal told reporters that “the process for suspension of the two police officers has been initiated.”