Srinagar: Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Wednesday directed “immediate action” against a police officer involved in beating of journalists during a Muharram procession in Srinagar, terming it “undesirable behaviour”.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when photojournalists were performing their duty of covering the procession in the city.
Police, unable to control the procession, targeted the photojournalists and charged them with batons besides roughing them up physically. Several photographers including S Irfan of the PTI, Waseem Andrabi of the Hindustan Times and Sajjad Hamid of Free Press Journal, whose camera was also broken, were injured.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Singh directed Srinagar SSP Sandeep Chaudhary to take immediate action.
“J&K DGP Dilbag Singh took a serious view of the undesirable behaviour with some media men in Srinagar yesterday. SSP Srinagar directed to take immediate action against the erring police officer,” Jammu and Kashmir Police said on its official Twitter handle.
The police, after roughing up the journalists on Tuesday, also detained a few Shia mourners at Jehangir Chowk in the city as they tried to take out a procession to mark the eighth day of the 10-day Muharram mourning period.
The traditional Muharram procession used to pass through the areas of Abi Guzar, Lal Chowk and Dalgate areas, but has been banned since the eruption of militancy in 1990.
The pictures and videos of the incident were uploaded on social media as journalists protested the police action. Kashmir Press Photographers Association (KPPA) condemned the use of force by police and termed its action “unjustified and uncalled for”.
The Kashmir Press Club condemned the assault and demanded action against the policemen involved in the incident as well as sensitisation of the police force to ensure media freedom is respected.
Leaders cutting across political lines had on Tuesday denounced the incident and expressed hope that LG Manoj Sinha will ensure such incidents are not repeated. PTI
DGP orders action against cop involved in thrashing journos during Muharram procession added by Press Trust of India on
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