Police thrashes journalists covering Srinagar encounter
KEG condemns, IGP apologises
Srinagar: Security forces allegedly thrashed some media personnel who were covering an encounter with militants in the city here, a journalist present at the spot said Wednesday.
Though the police refused to comment on the alleged incident, a PTI photojournalist present there gave a first-hand account.
There were several media personnel who were covering the encounter when some police personnel asked them to leave, he said.
However, the media personnel stood their ground, leading to an altercation between 3-4 scribes and police, following which they allegedly thrashed three journalists.
“The journalists were beaten ruthlessly and that too in front of the officers who were present at the spot of the encounter,” witnesses said.
The incident has been widely condemned with Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) saying that the police action on the ground suggests that the “counter-insurgency establishment wishes to frighten the media,” while it (KEG) also demanded action against those involved in beating the journalists.
While strongly reacting to the police action KEG said that it strongly “condemns the manhandling of various reporters and videographers by policemen in Fatehkadal locality of Srinagar where they had gone to fulfill a professional obligation,” a KEG spokesperson said.
“Police action on the ground suggests that the counter-insurgency establishment wishes to frighten the media and stop this institution from covering anything which the grid dislikes and take over the entire systems and processes,” the KEG said.
KEG further said that “we strongly feel that the attack on journalists that too when several senior officers from various security agencies where witnessing the ignominy, is aimed to send a strong signal to the media that any reportage contrary to the establishment point of view would be dealt with sternly.”
Today’s incident, the KEG said is yet again a grim reminder of the fact that “how vulnerable the press core is in an area that is riddled with conflict and lawlessness.”
“The crisis, however, is that the beating of journalists by police and paramilitary men is becoming a routine now and this state of affairs is an impediment in helping institutions deliver their professional duties. In today’s incident, a senior police officer was watching as his subordinates were beating the journalists,” KEG added.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Journalist Association (KJA) while strongly condemning the mishandling of journalists by government forces has expressed shock over the incident.
“Police and other government forces have been harassing and assaulting journalists repeatedly. It is simply uncalled for and must be stopped to prevent any legal recourse by the journalistic fraternity against such incidents,” KJA said in a statement.
While appeal the governor administration to take appropriate measures and action in the incident to end this harassment, KJA said that it has raised the issue with Inspector General of Police, SP Pani who has extended ‘unconditional apologies’ to the journalistic fraternity and assured action in the case.
“Without going into the context of the incident I unconditionally apologise to all journalist friends. I assured to look into it because we don’t want any unpleasant thing happening between police and media,” Pani told KJA spokesperson over the phone.
He, as per the KJA statement assured the journalist body that Police will develop Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the crisis situation so that such incidents wouldn’t be repeated.
“We have to work in the crisis situations so SOP will be developed for both the parties to prevent such incidents, “the statement quoted IGP as having said.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Press Club (KPC) has also condemned the thrashing of journalists at the encounter site by the police. While expressing shock over the behaviour of the forces, KPC said that it was hopeful that the state administration will take a note of such an act and an action will be initiated.
“Many reporters and photojournalists were beaten up while they were delivering their professional duties this morning. One of the injured journalists is also a member of the executive team of KPC,” KPS said in a statement issued here.
The KPC expressed shock over this behaviour by the forces
Broadcast & Multimedia Journalist Association (BMJA) Kashmir also condemned the manhandling of media persons by policemen. BMJA in a statement issued said that the use of force against media persons by forces suggest that the media in Kashmir is being “frightened and gagged.”
“We strongly condemn the attack on journalists… Security forces should respect the professional obligations of the media persons and must stop such behaviour with the media,” BMJA statement said.
The Association has also called for a strong action against those who were involved in the act
The Association said that anyone who attacks media should restrain and understand that they are caught in crossfire whenever there is a sensitive atmosphere in the valley. “Attacking media or scaring them will not serve any purpose for the establishment, but it indicates lawlessness.” (With PTI inputs)
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