Chennai police rubbishes reports of monitoring crime reporters

Chennai: The city police on Tuesday rubbished reports in a section of media that senior officials had been assigned to keep certain crime reporters in ‘good humour’ and termed them as ‘factually incorrect.’

The police said that all press-related matters and releases will be dealt by a Public Relations Officer (PRO) and his office only and not by any other officer or officers as reported in a section of media.

“It is further clarified that there are no instructions or internal circular issued to any other effect, as reported in certain sections of the media. Such reports appearing are factually incorrect,” a release from the City Police said.

Since September 5, an Assistant Commissioner has been ‘put in-charge’ as PRO following the retirement of his predecessor, it said.

Earlier, a section of the media had reported that city police had assigned senior police officials to journalists covering crime news in leading English and vernacular dailies to keep them in ‘good humour’ to avoid any negative publicity for the Chennai cops.

A local journalist body, Chennai Union of Journalists, had also complained to the Press Council of India on this issue.

PTI