RANCHI, Dec 30: A Delhi-based freelance photo journalist Sarvesh was allegedly roughed up by a police sub-inspector for taking snaps of patients at the mental hospital of Kanke near here today.Sarvesh went to the hospital this morning with a colleague Sangeeta Anand to prepare a photo feature on the country's oldest mental hospital, Ranchi Mansik Arogyashala.
When she was returning from the hospital she was stopped by a police sub-inspector who asked for the camera saying photography inside the hospital was not allowed.
Sarvesh alleged that he manhandled her on her refusal to hand over the camera and during the process, which took place in presence of some of the hospital authorities, her dupatta was torn.
The hospital authorities alleged that the two women journalists from Delhi visited the hospital in the company of a local leader and photographed some of the patients in the nude which is strictly prohibited.
Hundreds of women attending the ongoing international Nari mukti sammelan, to cover
which Sarvesh came here, staged a road blockade before the senior superintendent of police, Amitabh Chaudhry's office demanding his apology for the incident and action against the sub-inspector. The hospital authorities said that after coming to know about the photography, they had asked for the camera but the scribes refused. The police was then informed.
Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
