Women for women: Here are examples of some Unabashed Reportage on Hathras Rape Case, all coming through women
There is a massive unrest among the masses and we all know, what it is for. People are protesting and marching every day, demanding justice for the victim and the family of Hathras Rape Case. Four-men allegedly, brutally, raped a 19 years old Dalit woman, who later died on 29th September, fighting with her bruised body in Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi. Further, the police burnt (cremated) the body of the victim at 3:00 AM, on 30th November. Later, with the widespread protests and rage in the society, the route for Hathras was barricaded and journalists were not allowed to speak to the greaving family and report from the location.
We have been following all the reports that have come through various media portals and here are a few unabashed reports and they all are by women.
Akanksha Kumar & Nidhi Suresh’s Ground Report “‘Help us get justice, please’: Dalit girl assaulted in UP’s Hathras succumbs”
Read more: 8 Artists who are exceptionally creating content in solidarity with Hathras Rape Case Victim
Newslaundry’s reporters, Akanksha Kumar & Nidhi Suresh have been among the very first reporters who reported the incident, much before it became a national issue. These women did a ground report speaking to the family of the victim, the police officials, and the village locals of Hathras. They even visited the Aligarh hospital where the victim was admitted earlier. In their report, they have spoken to the victim’s family, who claim that they tried to approach media organisations for help, tweeted too but were still ignored. Akansha and Nidhi say that there were barely any journalists who appeared to cover this incident before it became a national issue.
Here is there ground report –
Tanushree Pandey credited for breaking the story of the secret cremation of the Hathras Rape Victim
https://twitter.com/TanushreePande/status/1311054885970821121
30th September, at 3:00 AM, Tanushree Pandey reported from the ground, about the secret cremation of the body of the victim. She has posted several video stories on her twitter handle, from the ground where they had followed the ambulance in which the victim was brought, a video, in which she captured police trying to manipulate the villagers and others from that night. Tanushree is an India Today reporter. Two days ago, OP India released an audio clip where Tanushree is allegedly trying to convince the victim’s brother to send a video statement of his father saying that he was put under immense pressure to sign the documents. Tanushree and India today fired back on the OP India and UP governance on their act of illegally tapping phones of journalist and the grieving family.
Pratima Mishra along with her camera person attempted to enter the village to speak to the grieving family, were mistreated and forcibly stopped by UP Police
From 30th November, media was barricaded from reporting from the location. Paramita Mishra is among the very first journalists who bravely attempted to question the authorities about the order which directs to stop the journalists. Paramita tried to go to the victim’s house from the other route when the main route got barricaded. She was stopped by the police officials, even after repeatedly asking about the written orders released by the state, disallowing media from entering the location, and yet no police officer or magistrate appeared with any order. They forcibly asked them to sit in the car, misbehaved with them and curbed their right to report.
Apart from this, there have been several other reports. Journalist Barkha Dutt has been reporting from the ground and she also tried to speak to the family of the victim and was sent back in a similar fashion as that of Paramita. While these are just a few incidents, there have been a lot of journalists who have been unabashedly reporting from the ground, giving voice to the grieving family. We appreciate the work of all these journalists who have brought us the story and with deep regard, we thank them for doing what they are doing.
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