Srinagar
Kashmir Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday strongly condemned the “assault on two journalists in central Kashmir’s Srinagar district on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the Kashmir Press Club, two journalists, Azaan Javaid of The Print and Anees Zargar of Newsclick were “slapped, abused and intimidated” by the senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir police outside Islamia College of Science and Commerce Srinagar on Tuesday (December 17, 2019).
“The journalists were targeted by Superintendent of Police (north city) Sajad Shah and his subordinate Rashid Khan even when the two scribes disclosed their identity as journalists,” said the statement.
“They did not stop at this and hurled the 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 statement said.
The Kashmir Press Club said it has taken serious note of this incident and accordingly took up the matter with senior police authorities and the Department of Information.
A delegation led by press club vice president Moazum Mohammad on Wednesday met Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal at his office.
“The SSP assured the delegation of strong action against the alleged accused. He told the delegation that a departmental inquiry has been ordered and the SP headquarters has been asked to hold a time-bound inquiry and submit his report within 10 days and accordingly fix the responsibility,” the statement added.
The statement said that 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 accused so that a message is telegraphed. It was on the 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,” said the statement.
Meanwhile, a protest was held outside office of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations by scribes against the assault on two on their colleagues while they were covering a student protest.
