{
  "id": 13774021,
  "title": "Assaulted in police vehicle, abandoned on wayside: John Brittas writes to President",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/assaulted-in-police-vehicle-abandoned-on-wayside-john-brittas-writes-13774021",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T18:17:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - India",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-india",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/assaulted-in-police-vehicle-abandoned-on-wayside-john-brittas-writes-to-president-droupadi-murmu-10917123/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member John Brittas has written to the President, Vice President, and Chief Justice of India, alleging he was manhandled, dragged, and assaulted in a police vehicle. Brittas seeks urgent intervention, accountability for the police personnel involved, and action on questions of Parliamentary privilege. He described the incident as not just an assault on an MP, but a threat to democratic freedoms and the rule of law. Brittas pointed out that the assault occurred shortly after the Supreme Court issued directions to protect peaceful protests and constitutional rights. The CPI(M) MP questioned the government's use of force to suppress dissent, stating that \"the strength of a democracy lies not in its capacity to suppress dissent, but in its ability to address it.\" Brittas also referred to the alleged incident on Sunday, detailing how he was driven around for approximately 3.5 hours before being abandoned on the roadside. The police assault continued even after Brittas revealed his identity as an MP, and he was released due to the detention being deemed unlawful. Brittas called for an independent investigation into the brutality and the role of senior officials, urging the President to seek a comprehensive report from the Union and Delhi governments.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Assaulted in police vehicle, abandoned on wayside: John Brittas writes to President",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/assaulted-in-police-vehicle-abandoned-on-wayside-john-brittas-writes",
        "published": "2026-10-11T18:17:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}