Journalist Pulled Out Of A Moving Auto, Attacked In Delhi; Kejriwal Promises To Make Streets Safer

In a shocking incident, a journalist was attacked by thieves who tried to snatch her phone while she was travelling in an auto in South Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park area leaving her with multiple injuries.

The incident took place in the national capital on September 22.

Journalist Attacked In Delhi

Journalist Joymala Bagchi was travelling in an auto when two men on a motorcycle pulled up next to her and tried to snatch her phone. She was pulled with immense force and fell out of the moving auto. The thieves managed to grab her phone and escape.

Bagchi, who works for news agency ANI, suffered fractures on her leg and jaw and got multiple stitches for her injuries. Bagchi was profusely bleeding when the locals came to her rescue and took her to AIIMS.

The police said they have registered a case and are on a lookout for the thieves.”We have received a complaint and have registered a case against the accused persons under Section 394 – for voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery,” said Atul Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

“I had gone for shopping near CR Park and was returning back at around 6 pm in an auto when two bike-borne miscreants came close to my auto while the traffic movement was slow. They dragged me out of the moving auto. Later, they snatched my phone and sped away,” Joymala Bagchi said.

She said there was no CCTV footage of the incident.

“As a journalist, I am appalled. Where are the CCTV cameras? I was attacked in broad daylight. What if a speeding car had hit me? Is this how unsafe the capital is? Today morning I got to know, that there is no CCTV footage of the incident and so far no lead. The snatchers are so well acquainted with the city that they know which part of the city has no CCTV camera,” Bagchi said.

“Will we get justice? If the ones who have the power to highlight such incidents do not feel safe, imagine the plight of ordinary citizens,” she added.

Kejriwal Condemned The Attack

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, September 24, said the attack on the journalist was unfortunate and hoped the culprits were given the strictest punishment.

“I got to know about the incident where a woman journalist from ANI was attacked by chain snatchers. It’s very unfortunate and saddening. I hope culprits get the strictest punishment. All of us together need to work to reduce the crime incidents in Delhi,” Kejriwal said.

Old Woman Attacked

In a similar incident, a 64-year-old woman was mugged on August 30 inside the gated colony of Chittaranjan Park.

“My mother got stitches on her head after men on a bike tried to snatch her bag at CR Park Pocket P, less than 100 metres from the police station. It was caught on CCTV inside the gated residential area. Kids play here in the evening. It’s not safe now,” Ron Roy, son of the woman said.

The police said they saw the CCTV footage but the number plate and the men were not very clearly identified. Later, a suspect was identified and tracked down.

Delhi Government’s Plans

After multiple instances of theft, robbery and women being attacked surfaced in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the installation of 2.10 lakh streetlights to illuminate dark spots from November 1.

The Rs 100-crore project, called ‘Mukhyamantri Street Light Scheme’, will be executed with the installation of around 3 lakh CCTVs, terming it as the “biggest step yet for women’s safety”.

“In this case, MLAs and residents will identify spots, which can be someone’s residence even. Every such household will have to give a consent letter and we will get the lights installed. They will get rebates on power bills based on the power drawn by the lights,” CM Kejriwal said.

The light will have special sensors enabling them to turn on automatically after sunset and will be powered by electricity from domestic connections.

“People can submit their requests for street lights to their local MLAs following which the permission of the building owners will be taken. The street lights will be installed after the location of the survey is passed by the power company. The location for the street lights will be selected before November,” he said.

“In a day or two, we will decide how much electricity will be needed to run one light. We will deduct that amount from people’s bills. This will also be an automatic arrangement,” he said.

To ensure the safety of women, the Delhi Police will also deploy two motorbikes at every police station to patrol dark stretches under every station.

These plans come after the state high court’s decision to make Delhi “crime-free for women”.

Also Read: With Diwali Around The Corner, The Odd-Even Scheme Is Back To Control Pollution Levels In Delhi