New Delhi 18 August 2021: The Indian Journalists Union condemns the thrashing of photo journalists by a police officer in Srinagar while they were covering a Muharram procession. While the Union welcomed the action taken by the DGP for the ‘undesirable behaviour’ of the concerned officer by shifting him to the police lines, the Union demanded that safety and security of journalists be ensured so that they could carry out their responsibilities.

Reports said that SHO Aftab Ahmad Bhat was among nine officers shifted from their places of posting by SSP, Srinagar, as he had beaten up photojournalists on Tuesday last while they were covering the Muharram procession.

In astatement IJU President and former Member of Press Council of India, Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and International Federation of Journalists Vice President, Sabina Inderjit said the J&K administration must ensure that journalists in the Valley are allowed to function freely and that impediments such as harassment and beating of journalists be removed. The journalists, said the Union risk their lives to inform and educate the public and such brutal force used by the police against them reveals sinister attempts to stifle the fourth estate and in turn democracy.