Fellow journos to the rescue

Though freelance journalists without press cards are vulnerable everywhere in India, the experience of Bombay journo Priyanka Borpujari shows that being  part of an urban  network of other journalists who can mobilise social media instantly, helps. She was roughed up by the Mumbai police, had her phone snatched away and was detained while filming a slum demolition drive in the Santacruz area on Dec 26.  But the news got out very fast on Twitter thanks to fellow journalists she contacted, evoking a response from the police Twitter desk. Journos also landed up at the police station in solidarity, and after about four hours she was released.