Overview

• On June 4, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh government and Delhi home department on their petition, set the next hearing for June 9 and declined interim safeguards until state responses are filed.
• On June 5, the National Human Rights Commission took suo-motu cognisance of the alleged May 1 assault and ordered a detailed report from the state DGP within two weeks.
• Shashikant Jatav and Amarkant Singh Chouhan fled to Delhi on May 19 citing threats from Bhind police, and the Delhi High Court granted Chouhan two-month protection on May 28.
• The journalists allege that SP Asit Yadav and his team kidnapped them, subjected them to custodial violence and caste-based abuse to intimidate their reporting on illegal sand mining.
• Their plea highlights a nexus between local police and the sand mafia, drawing attention to broader risks to journalist safety and press freedom in Madhya Pradesh.