[message from filmmaker Rakesh Sharma]
Please help by registering your strongest protest to the Police Commissioner
as instead of taking any action against the mob attacking the crew at
midnight (asking for Richa to be bodysearched, tearing Rvviu's clothes,
snatching the camera, taking the ffotage away), the police seemed to pander
to them, and have confiscated our footage illegally!
January 29, 2009 Fax CP 22621835
Hasan Ghafoor, IPS
The Commissioner of Police, Mumbai
Sub: Harassment of documentary film crew and illegal confiscation of footage
Dear Sir,
We are working with Rakesh Sharma (98203 43103), well-known independent
documentary film-maker. Today, we were filming for his latest film which
deals with the human tragedy of terror and hate attacks, among other things
documenting the diversity of responses from the civil society in the last
few weeks. These have included memorial and felicitation functions,
interviews with victims, patients and their families, peace marches,
workshops and several other miscellaneous events. Today evening, as part of
our ongoing filming, we were shooting at the Sadhu Sammelan on peace and
terror at their public meeting at Somaiya grounds on Sion-Chunnabhatti road.
We took the required permissions from the organizers and were escorted by
them into the press enclosure to enable us to film the speakers. After the
meeting, as is our usual practice, we were taking audience reactions. While
filming with an audience member from Simla, we were suddenly surrounded by a
mob of approx 100-150 people, who identified themselves as members of
Bajrang Dal and the Dharma Raksha Manch, raising objections to the
interview. Though we tried to reason with them, the mob grew increasingly
hostile and manhandled the cameraman Rrivu Laha and snatched the camera.
They intimidated Ms Richa Hushing and demanded that she be body searched by
one of the Durga Vahini members. The local event co-ordinator of the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad who identified himself as being in-charge of security,
intervened to stop further manhandling and demanded that the footage
recently shot by the crew, be immediately erased in their presence. The tape
itself was physically snatched by the mob from the cameraman.
At this time, the police wireless van attached to the Wadala Truck Terminus
Police Station, reached the spot and intervened. They escorted us to their
van and PI Chavan questioned us and offered to register a formal complaint.
In the meanwhile, the other policemen went into the mob and brought a man
named Wankhede with the tape that had been snatched by the mob. While the
police were questioning him, two people arrived – one of them a delegate who
had earlier addressed the meeting and the other, a local politician
contacted by Wankhede. They then insisted that the crew be allowed to leave
only after the tape had been formally confiscated by the police.
As we had just been subjected to mob violence, harassment, intimidation and
were under duress, we agreed to comply with the demands of the mob and left
the scene as we had a continuing fear of our safety. We are writing this
complaint immediately on our arrival in our office.
We request you to treat this letter as a formal complaint and take
appropriate action. Further, our footage containing not just the said
interview but also much of our filming throughout the evening has not yet
been restored to us. We urge that our tape be handed over to us urgently. We
have spoken to SI Chavan telephonically at 1.30 am and informed him that
this formal complaint is being lodged and have ascertained that the said
tape remains in his personal possession.
Yours sincerely,
Richa Hushing Rrivu Laha, Jogesh Malakar
independent fim-maker (9969879319) cinematographer (9372446397) AD
(65882504)
CC:
SI, Wadala Truck Terminus Police Station
DCP of the zone
Indian Documentary Producers' Association
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