NEW DELHI: The Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) expressed its concern over the harassment and threats award-winning Delhi journalist Neha Dixit has been facing since September last year.
The IWPC urged the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure that action be taken on Dixit’s complaint. They added that police should file an FIR and take action against the offenders.
Dixit was stalked, threatened with rape, murder, and viciously trolled. An attempt to break into her apartment was also made, the IWPC observed.
Such attempts to prevent her from carrying out her professional duties was a blatant attempt to muzzle her.
"It is an attack on the freedom of the press and part of a concerted strategy to silence objective media professionals", IWPC said.
“It is shocking to learn that to date no FIR has been filed following her January 27 complaint to the police, which includes telephone numbers from which she received threats. The callers try to instill fear in her by giving her exact location, inside her house as well as outside and even describe the clothes she is wearing,” said a IWPC statement.
Dixit is not the first woman journalist who is being trolled, harassed, threatened with rape and physical assault and subjected to mental agony for carrying out her duties, it said, adding that action by the police will help restore faith in Delhi Police’s commitment towards women as well as its commitment to the ability of women journalists to carry out their work without fear or favour.”