Srinagar, December 18, 2019 (PPI-OT): Journalists staged protest in Srinagar against the assault on two journalists while discharging their professional duties, yesterday, at Islamia College, in the city. Azaan Javaid of The Print and Anees Zargar of Newsclick were slapped, abused and intimidated by the senior police officers outside Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar, on Tuesday.
The journalists were targeted by Superintendent of Police Sajad Shah and his subordinate Rashid Khan even when the two scribes disclosed their identity as journalists. They did not stop at this and hurled choicest abuse, according to Azaan Javaid and Anees Zargar. All this is recorded in a video which also corroborates the version given by the duo from the circumstances. It appears that the two journalists were deliberately targeted.
The Kashmir Press Club, Srinagar took a serious note of the incident and accordingly took up the matter with senior police authorities and department of Information. In this regard, a KPC delegation comprising Moazum Mohammad, vice president, and Ishfaq Tantry, General Secretary, along with Anees Zargar, Azaan Javaid and Hakeem Irfan today met SSP, Srinagar Haseeb Mughal at his office wherein he was apprised of the factual position.
The SSP assured the delegation of strong action against the culprit police officers. The KPC during the meeting reiterated that the media fraternity would not tolerate such behaviour towards the working journalists. The KPC also demanded that a strong action should be taken against the police officers. It was on assurance of the senior police authorities, the KPC today deferred its planned protest against the incident. The KPC expects fair and speedy outcome of the inquiry ordered.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org