Ludhiana: Police have registered a case against a local village head and nearly 20 of his accomplices following a violent reprisal against a digital journalist who reported on failing infrastructure in the region.Sanjay Tiwari, a sarpanch allegedly led the mob that intercepted and assaulted the 28-year-old reporter on Thursday. The attack is believed to be a direct retaliation for her recent coverage of poor development projects on Dhandra Road. It’s claimed in the police complaint that Tiwari and an associate, identified as Akash, blocked the journalist’s path and subjected her to verbal abuse. The victim fled to her home for safety, but the group reportedly pursued her, pelting the house with stones and bricks.The journalist also alleged that Tiwari touched her inappropriately during the struggle. While an investigation is ongoing, authorities have not yet included sexual harassment charges in the formal first-information report (FIR). Investigating officer Balwinder Singh confirmed that a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for: voluntarily causing hurt (Section 115-2), wrongful restraint (Section 126-2), criminal intimidation (Section 351), and unlawful assembly (Section 190).The investigating officer said: “The accused remains at large. We have launched a probe and are currently tracking the suspects.” The incident has sparked fresh concerns regarding the safety of independent journalists in India, particularly those covering local governance and political accountability.
