India’s Oldest News Agency UNI’s Office Sealed by Authorities

March 20, Kathmandu – The office of United News of India (UNI), India’s oldest news agency located in New Delhi, has been sealed. According to reports from PTI, Delhi Police sealed the office on Friday following an order from the High Court.

A senior UNI employee told PTI, “In the evening, officials from the Central Government’s property department arrived. They informed us that our lease has expired and demanded we vacate the premises immediately. They forcibly entered our newsroom and dragged us out.”

UNI announced the sealing of its office via the social media platform X. Numerous videos shared on social media show a large number of security personnel present inside the UNI compound. In the videos, the security forces can be heard urging journalists and staff to vacate the premises.

In a post on X, UNI expressed grave concern over press freedom, stating, “The sealing of United News of India, one of the country’s oldest and most respected news agencies, has raised serious alarms about freedom of the press.”

UNI has accused authorities of forcibly evicting its staff without allowing them to take personal belongings and reported that employees faced mistreatment during the clearance process.

The agency also shared a video showing a heavy presence of security forces, with employees describing being pushed and shoved during the eviction.

The English daily ‘The Statesman’ posted on X, describing the event as “an unprecedented assault and crackdown on media freedom in India.” The report highlights that the police raided the UNI office on Rafi Marg without even providing staff adequate time to pack their belongings or make arrangements.