The Kashmir Video Journalist Association alleged that their colleague Zubair Dar was assaulted by police in Pahalgam. The journalist, as per the association, was covering the annual Amarnath yatra.
“The KVJA demands that the police authorities take strict action against the concerned police officer involved in the incident,” the association said in a statement.
As per the statement, “On Thursday morning around 4:45 AM, Zubair, and his colleagues were traveling inside their car outside a hotel while they were en-route to the Nunwan base camp to film the flag-off ceremony of annual Amarnath yatra. When he moved out of his car to ask about the directions from SHO Pahalgam Anzar Khan who was coming from the opposite side, he was slapped”.
“There were three other journalists with me inside the car. As soon as I came out of the car to ask the SHO about the directions, without any response or uttering a word, he slapped me and simply passed off from the spot as if nothing had happened,” the statement quoted Zubair saying, adding, he was shocked and didn’t respond despite the provocation.
Zubair informed that his left eye was hurt badly and he was not able to see properly for two hours, the statement mentioned.
“I was slapped simply for inquiring about the directions,” Zubair told the association.
Observing that the media persons were performing their professional duty, the association said that the “police action was uncalled for and unfortunate”.
KVJA statement alleged that the “action” by the concerned police officer is a “sheer abuse of power and gross misuse of the official authority. This also dents the credibility of the armed forces deployed on Yatra duty”.
“We reiterate that the police authorities need to respect the freedom of the press as enshrined under the Constitution and ensure strict disciplinary action against the guilty officer involved in the incident,” the statement concludes.