Doordarshan journalists were allegedly manhandled by some people at Nigambodh Ghat while they were shooting for a story on the illegal semi-VIP pyre system said to be in vogue there.
Doordarshan reporter Mohammad Aquid and cameraperson Ramesh had gone to Nigambodh Ghat to do a story on semi-VIP pyre system that was in vogue even when a police complaint had been filed and it drew flak from the Central Information Commission.
“We had gone to investigate. Some people came out and attacked us while we were shooting. One of them tried to snatch documents and camera from our team and even threatened us,” said Aquid.
The journalists filed a complaint at the Kashmere Gate police station in this regard.
However, chairman, Arya Samaj, Lodhi Road, B.P. Gupta said he was not aware of any manhandling of journalists.
“There is no semi-VIP pyre system now. We want to give up the management of Nigambodh Ghat. But no action has been taken on our request,” the chairman said.
The management of Nigambodh Ghat was given to Arya Samaj, Lodhi Road in 2003 by the MCD. It has been alleged that they had started a system of semi-VIP pyres which are allotted to influential people after pocketing money.
In this regard, RTI activist Subhash Agrawal had filed a number of applications with the MCD and Arya Samaj on which the civic body accepted that these semi-VIP pyres were illegal and even filed a complaint with the police.