New Delhi stampede: Woman Journo accuses railway police of threatening to delete data
New Delhi: A woman journalist associated with the news portal 'Molitics,' who was covering the New Delhi Railway Station stampede incident on Saturday evening, has alleged intimidation by railway police officials present at the scene.
Saumya Raj, in a post on X, accused the railway police of seizing her device and threatening to delete all the data she had recorded about the incident.
She said in a video, "Upon learning about the incident, I reached the spot, started talking to witnesses and others present, and enquired about the situation. During this time, railway police officials approached me and seized my device. They asked for my ID card and took a photograph of it. Despite showing my credentials, they refused to return my phone. The officials told me they couldn't allow me to show visuals from the location and threatened to delete the content.”
“The railway police tried to intimidate me by threatening to arrest me unless I provided my phone's password and deleted all the footage documenting the experiences of those at the station. They told me, ‘You cannot show anything from here. Delete the data, or we will take you away right now,’” she added.
Saumya further revealed that one of the officials out of pressure from seniors advised her to only pretend to delete the photos.
She also claimed that a female police officer advised her to manage, reportedly telling her, “I have seen what has happened here. It is wrong, but please just act like you are deleting the video in front of them.”
In another video uploaded by Saumya, an official can be heard questioning her, “Do you have an ID card?” When Saumya responds and hands over her ID, the official asks, “Which media card is this?” She replies, “PIB card.” The official then dismisses it, saying, “Which media card is this?”
The death toll from the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station climbed to 18 on Sunday. A senior railway official stated that the incident occurred after some passengers slipped and fell on others while descending from a foot-over bridge.
According to reports, more than a dozen people were also injured in the stampede, which took place as the number of passengers suddenly increased on platforms 14 and 15, waiting to board trains bound for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is currently underway. Meanwhile, some reports also suggest that the incident occurred due to wrong announcements at the station.
रेलवे पुलिस द्वारा मुझे हिरासत में लेने की धमकी देकर डराने की कोशिश की गई ताकि मैं उन्हें अपने फ़ोन का पासवर्ड बता दूँ और स्टेशन पर मौजूद लोगों की आपबीती का सारा डेटा डिलीट कर दूँ। उन्होंने मुझसे कहा कि आप यहाँ से कुछ नहीं दिखा सकते, डेटा डिलीट करो नहीं तो अभी उठा कर ले जाएँगे। pic.twitter.com/KmkBfAW4qt
— Saumya Raj (@JournoSaumya) February 16, 2025
नई दिल्ली रेलवे स्टेशन पर मची भगदड़ को कवर करने के दौरान RPF के जवानों ने मुझसे मेरा फ़ोन छीना और बदतमीजी की। मुझे स्टेशन पर मौजूद लोगों से बातचीत की वीडियो डिलीट करने के लिए कहा और रिपोर्ट करने से रोका। @moliticsindia#delhirailwaystation #STAMPEDE pic.twitter.com/zlyrV34n3U
— Saumya Raj (@JournoSaumya) February 16, 2025
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Man arrested in Hyderabad for impersonating police officer using AI videos
Hyderabad (PTI): A 27-year-old man was arrested in Hyderabad for allegedly impersonating a police official and uploading fabricated videos on social media platforms to gain followers, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, who worked as a delivery executive with a food delivery aggregator, created and circulated misleading videos using AI-based software.
He falsely depicted himself as a police official and showcased weapons, potentially causing panic and misleading the public, a release from Hyderabad Police said.
Police said it came to their notice that fake videos were being circulated on social media, showing individuals posing as police personnel and displaying weapons.
Upon preliminary inquiry, it was found that the videos were fabricated using AI software and did not represent any real police activity.
The accused unlawfully impersonated a police official and created deceptive digital content, which is a punishable offence under relevant provisions of law.
Such acts can erode public trust and create unnecessary alarm, the release said.
Acting on credible information, police teams apprehended the accused and seized a mobile phone used in the offence.
A case under relevant sections of the BNS and the IT Act, 2000, was registered at Kalapathar Police Station.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether any other persons were involved in the creation and dissemination of such content, police added.
