Longest serving foreign journalist in India says she is being forced to leave by government
Says move is part of broader effort to suppress dissent within the OCI community
New Delhi: Vanessa Dougnac, a highly regarded French journalist and the longest-serving foreign correspondent in India for multiple international news organizations, has announced her departure from the country following the government's two-week revocation of her Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card last month. The government cited alleged concerns over her reporting as the reason for the punitive action.
In a statement released on Friday, Dougnac expressed her deep connection to India, where she had come as a student 25 years ago and worked as a journalist for 23 years. She noted that leaving was not her choice but a decision forced upon her by the Indian government.
The Foreigners Registration Office, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued a notice to Dougnac on January 18, accusing her of producing "malicious" work that created a "biased negative perception" of the country. The notice also claimed that her work had the potential to "provoke disorder and disturb peace in certain sections of society."
Around 30 foreign correspondents stationed in India collectively penned an open letter expressing solidarity with Dougnac. They urged Indian authorities to promptly resolve her case, ensuring it does not adversely impact her career or family life.
Dougnac's statement emphasized that these actions by the government appeared to be part of a broader effort to suppress dissent within the OCI community. Despite earlier suggestions by authorities that she change her profession, Dougnac asserted her identity as a journalist, a profession she holds dear to her heart, and refused to give it up due to unproven accusations.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Indian authorities to reinstate Dougnac's journalism permit immediately and cease using legal technicalities to impede journalists in carrying out their duties.
In September 2022, the Indian government had revoked Dougnac's journalism permit, prompting her to cease reporting from India at that time. Known for covering human rights, international and domestic politics, Dougnac contributed to prominent publications, including the French daily newspaper La Croix, French weekly Le Point, Swiss French-language daily newspaper Le Temps, and French-language Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also condemned the methods employed by Indian authorities to make Dougnac leave, characterizing them as symptomatic of the growing persecution of journalists in India. RSF highlighted that at least four OCI journalists based in India had their work permit renewals refused, and two of them opted to leave the country.
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
