KL Report
Srinagar
After cable TV operations particularly the news channels and mobile internet were shut on Saturday, police last night prohibited publication of local newspapers.
Police teams arrived at the printing presses of most of the local daily newspapers and asked respective managements not to publish the newspaper for Monday.
“Police came at around 11:30 and asked us not to publish the newspaper,” said Rashid Mukhdomi, Printer and publisher of valley’s largest circulating daily, Greater Kashmir. “If published, they said, they won’t be allowed to distribute.” Adhering to the directives, the management decided not to go for print.
No written orders were issued to the media groups, but were verbally asked not to publish the newspapers.
“We did not receive any official order but police seized copies from our distributor in Lal Chowk,” Showkat Motta, editor Kashmir Reader told Kashmir Life over phone.
Showkat further said that police informed them that there are orders not to allow any newspapers to publish for four days.
Besides Kashmir Reader, another local daily Kashmir Images was also published but police according to manager of newspaper stopped its distribution.
“In Lal Chowk our copies were seized around at 3am, and we had no prior information,” said Ghulam Jeelani of the Images Printers.
When contacted Janta News Agency, valleys’ one of the prominent newspaper distributor, officials there said that they received information late in the night from police not to distribute any newspaper.
Pertinently Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday in his brief press conference urged media to present facts and not propagate rumours to worsen the situation.
