When media came under attack in Kashmir

Srinagar, September 2: As Kashmir churned with protests and incidents of violence, a casualty that did not, ironically, receive much coverage was the media. During the present Government clampdown to halt public processions, for the first time in Kashmir’s history, newspapers could not go to print for seven consecutive days. The reason: the Government had not issued curfew passes to the staff of media houses and distributors. The CRPF didn’t even entertain curfew passes issued by the district administration. Worse, there were at least 28 incidents of violence against the media in which security forces killed a cameraman and injured 36 reporters and photographers. A sampling: four staff members of the newspaper Greater Kashmir were beaten up at Rambagh by CRPF personnel while they were on their way to distribute copies. Three other staff members of the newspaper were attacked at the same checkpoint later.

Journalists were assaulted by angry crowds as well. NDTV’s cameraman, Amir Bhat was injured when people attacked his vehicle at SKIMS, while DNA’s Kashmir correspondent, Ishfaq-ul-Hassan, was thrashed by a crowd at Karan Nagar in Srinagar.

And even though the Director General of J&K Police, Kuldeep Khoda, gave assurances that journalists would be allowed to carry out their professional duties unhindered, the attacks continued well into August. A few recent examples:

August 12: CRPF men fired at a CNN-IBN crew near Lasjan. Cameraman Bashir Ahmad Lone and two others had a narrow escape. Rashid Wani of Sahara News was beaten up.

August 13: CRPF personnel fired fatal shots at Javaid Ahmad Mir, a cameraman working for a local TV channel, near Bagh-e-Mehtab. Mir was on his way to his office.

August 13: Aaj Tak correspondent Ashraf Wani and cameraman Tariq Lone were injured when an angry mob attacked them inside SMHS hospital.

August 22: CRPF personnel thrashed IBN-7’s Muzamil Rashid and News 24’s Sheikh Umar at Habba Kadal where the security forces had opened fire at unruly protestors.

August 24: CRPF men smashed the car of The Indian Express correspondent Mir Ehsan at Baramulla. He had a narrow escape. On the same day, Sahara Samay’s Bilal Bhat and his colleagues were on their way to their workplace when their vehicle was stopped by the CRPF men at Rambagh. Though they had a curfew pass, the security personnel beat up Bhat, fracturing his ribs. His colleagues, Jan Mohammad and Muzaffar were also beaten up. S Fayaz of UNI was beaten up near SMHS hospital.

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SHAME ON INDIAN DEMOCRACY by GULAM on 2008-09-16 12:39:26.267899+05:30
JAGO DUNIYA JAGO!!!!!!!! press has been imprisoned by the world's largest democracy in kashmir. SHAME ON INDIAN DEMOCRACY

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When media came under attack in Kashmir by ishtiyaq on 2008-09-11 01:49:10.707526+05:30
This is an eye opener for those believinig kashmir is an Integral part of India. Explaining itself whether, by Choice or by Force..............Time has come for everyone to getup and open blind eyes, face the reality....Now or Never..........

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