Press Statement

India: Journalist detained amid environmental protests

10 Apr, 2025

South First journalist, Sumit Jha, was detained by Hyderabad Police on March 30 while covering student protests at the University of Hyderabad against the clearing of campus land by the Telangana government. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its affiliate, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU), urge authorities to cease the arbitrary detention of media workers reporting in the public interest and ensure journalists can work without fear of reprisal.

Journalist Sumit Jha was detained by police on March 30, whilst covering student protests against the clearing of forest land initiated by the Telangana government. Credit: X

Jha was detained by Hyderabad Police alongside protestors at the University of Hyderabad on March 30, whilst recording a confrontation between students and police.

In a series of videos recorded from the inside of a police van, Jha claims a police officer snatched his phone before being taken into custody. Despite identifying himself as a journalist and producing his press card, Jha was driven around campus for an extended period of time before being taken into Kollur Police Station and released shortly after.

The ‘Save City Forest’ protests erupted after bulldozers arrived on the university’s East Campus to clear 400 acres of forest land, with the Telangana government’s plan to auction the property for mixed-use development through the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). Student protestors attempted to block the machines from commencing work and demanded an immediate end to the clearing, with police detaining over fifty individuals amid the commotion.

Several students, faculty members and environmental activists had raised concerns to the ecological impact of the project, including the destruction of rock formations, lakes and wildlife habitats. In a statement, the university says the administration was not informed on the “demarcation of land” and demands a comprehensive biodiversity assessment.

A public interest litigation has been raised to the Telangana High Court, calling the government to respond to the incident.

The IJU said: “Indian Journalists Union condemns the arrest of South First’ journalist, Sumit Jha. IJU asked the Telangana government to respect freedom of press and allow journalists to cover news.”

The IFJ said: “The unlawful detention of journalist Sumit Jha is transparent in its attempt to silence critical voices reporting in the public interest. The IFJ calls on authorities to safeguard the rights of press workers, ensuring journalists are free to conduct their duties without fear of reprisal or retribution.”

Written By

IFJ Asia-Pacific IFJ Asia-Pacific

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 140 countries.
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