South Central

Why were journalists being detained and beaten by Delhi Police? | South Central 97

South Central unpacks the detention of journalists covering protests, the allegations of police violence and what it means for press freedom and the right to dissent in India, along with the Kochi airport crash and the questions of privilege, accountability and victim-blaming that followed.

Dhanya Rajendran, Anisha Sheth

Published:16th Oct, 2026 at 8:22 PM

Were the police only trying to stop the protests, or also to stop journalists from creating a public record of what happened on the streets?

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What happens when journalists covering protests are detained by the police, and what does it mean for press freedom and the right to dissent in India?

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Anisha Sheth examine the crackdown’s implications for independent media, press freedom and the right to protest. They are joined by Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire, and Abhinandan Sekhri of Newslaundry, to discuss allegations of police violence, the targeting of journalists documenting the protests, and the lack of a stronger collective response from mainstream media.

The discussion examines whether the police were not only trying to prevent protests but also attempting to stop journalists from creating a public record of what happened on the streets.

Siddharth Varadarajan argues that journalists documenting police action during earlier protests had brought evidence of violence and excessive force to public attention, and that reporters were targeted this time to prevent similar footage from reaching audiences. Independent media journalists, including younger and women reporters, were among those who faced rough treatment and detention.

The panel also discusses allegations of violence against protesters and journalists inside detention centres, the role of people accompanying the police in confronting demonstrators, and the response of mainstream media to the detentions.

In the second part of the episode, the hosts speak to TNM Associate Editor Sukanya Shaji about the crash near Kochi airport in Kerala in which three young people were killed after a Mini Cooper reportedly driven at high speed rammed into their scooter.

The 19-year-old driver was arrested and booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, prompting questions about the legal provisions applied in the case. The discussion also examines allegations of rash and drunken driving, reports that the driver or a passenger claimed his father would take care of the situation, and the wider debate around privilege and accountability.

The panel looks at the victim-blaming that followed the crash, particularly questions about why the two women were out late at night with a Muslim male friend. Their grieving families were forced to publicly explain that the three had been working together and were returning home after work.

Tune in to the full episode of South Central here.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:32 - Headlines

00:08:41 - Police action against protesters in Delhi

00:48:44 - Kochi Mini Cooper car crash

001:03:09 - Recommendations

References:

Gyanu, it’s done bro: CJP Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das interview

Eerie calm to the violence of lathis: Walking through Delhi on October 9 and 10

Kochi Mini Cooper car crash: Allegations, legal charges, and family’s suspicions explained

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