Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh—Dalit journalist Satyaprakash Bharti, who was working on an investigative report regarding a suspicious action by Uttar Pradesh police, was recently held in custody for 6-7 hours and allegedly beaten up by the police. Instead of highlighting this police brutality, the Lucknow edition of Amar Ujala branded him a "fake journalist" in a published news article.

Satyaprakash Bharti, a former reporter of The Mooknayak, who was preparing an investigative report for the media group Newslaundry, recounted how on the night of Sunday, police officers allegedly assaulted him. The incident has now sparked widespread controversy. The situation took a new turn when, on Monday, Amar Ujala's Lucknow edition labeled Satyaprakash as a "fake journalist."

Bharti told The Mooknayak, "Amar Ujala has called me a 'fake journalist' in their newspaper. How can they decide who is fake and who is genuine? They published the news without taking my side of the story."

Satyaprakash further stated, "I will send them the paper clipping via email and ask how they concluded that I am a fake journalist. Why shouldn't a defamation case be filed against you, or you should publish a retraction of the news?"

Notably, Satyaprakash Bharti has covered numerous reports while working with The Mooknayak that have had far-reaching impacts. From reporting on poor children in Ayodhya collecting oil from lamps during Diwali to stories about a Muslim woman delivering home goods on foot, the Dom community forced to cook on leftover firewood from funeral pyres, and the dire situation of those displaced after bulldozer actions in Akbarnagar, Lucknow—Bharti has reported on dozens of stories that have deeply affected society and communities.

In August 2023, Bharti covered the Manipur violence for The Mooknayak, where he was issued a pass by the Manipur state information office to report from curfew areas. Bharti covered more than half a dozen ground reports from Manipur.

Not just this, the renowned French magazine Le Figaro also appreciated Satyaprakash Bharti's journalism, dedicating two pages to his work. This feature appeared after Bharti covered the plight of the Dom community in Banaras for The Mooknayak.

Before joining The Mooknayak, Bharti worked for the well-known Lucknow-based newspaper 4 PM, where his investigative journalism on the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Lucknow Development Authority made waves. His fearless reporting on the Lucknow Commissionerate earned him a reputation that further advanced his journalistic career.

Allegations of Police Beating and Threats of Encounter

Recounting the incident from Sunday night, Satyaprakash Bharti posted on social media that several young men claimed that the police had falsely implicated them in a harassment case that occurred on July 31 in Gomti Nagar. One of the accused, Pawan Yadav, asserted his innocence. Bharti, investigating this claim, gathered evidence by interviewing other young men involved. He then went to the DCP office to get the police's perspective, as some of the accused were scheduled for a court appearance that day.

"I mentioned the names of Pawan Yadav and Arbaz, which angered the police officer. He said, 'Why are you dissecting our actions? Why are you questioning the police's actions? You are running an agenda as a journalist, working for the Samajwadi Party. I'll send you to jail,'" Bharti recounted.

According to the journalist, the DCP seized his phone, asked the PRO to format it, confiscated his glasses, and ordered him to be beaten. "But there were elderly people present, so they didn't hit me there. Instead, they called the crime team, and when they didn't arrive, they summoned police from Gomti Nagar police station. Station officer Rajesh Tripathi kicked me out of the DCP office, put me in a vehicle, and punched me in the stomach, mouth, and jaw. They kept beating me on the way to the police station," Bharti stated.

"Behind the inspector's room, there is a small room where they beat me. They forced me to write a statement saying, 'I was secretly recording.' I was too scared and hence forced to comply to their demands. After the beating, they made me sit on the floor for 6-7 hours," Bharti said.

A Harrowing Ordeal

"For two days, I hadn't eaten anything; I was solely focused on the story. I was hungry and thirsty, sitting on the ground. The lower part of my body went numb due to the blood clotting. My stomach hurt terribly. My body stiffened. I lost consciousness, and seeing this, the police panicked. They dragged me outside, and my body was turning cold. The other accused brought to the station were asked by the police to rub my hands and feet. They lifted me into a car. The police took me to Nova Hospital in Patrakarpuram, but there was no doctor present. The assistant doctor gave me some medicine, but my condition was deteriorating," Bharti narrated.

"The doctors advised the police to take me to Lohia Hospital, but fearing they would be caught, the police did not take me to a government facility. Instead, they took me to Metro and Trauma Center near Mithaiwala Chauraha. I was admitted to the ICU," the journalist explained.

Investigating Police Actions

On July 31, in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, several boys were causing a commotion in waterlogged streets due to rain, splashing water on passersby and causing trouble. During this, a young man and woman were passing by on a motorcycle when the crowd reportedly harassed them. The incident was caught on video and went viral, causing an uproar over CM Yogi Adityanath's claims of controlling crime. In haste, the police arrested several young men in connection with the incident. Satyaprakash Bharti was preparing an investigative report to determine whether the accused were actually involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, there is widespread criticism on social media of the way the Lucknow police treated Bharti. Additionally, the misleading report by Amar Ujala has further angered the public.