Srinagar newspapers suspend publication

SRINAGAR - The editors of Srinagar-based vernacular and English newspapers Saturday announced the suspension of their publications to protest the alleged harassment by the Jammu and Kashmir administration.

Newspaper editors, reporters and photo-journalists held a protest march in the Press Enclave area on Residency Road Saturday afternoon accusing the administration of harassing the media.

“We had to suspend our publications for two days because of cancellation of curfew passes. We were issued insufficient number of passes yesterday (Friday) with the result that no newspaper could be published here today (Saturday),” said Zafar Meraj, editor of English daily Kashmir Monitor.

“We have been facing constant harassment from the state government and unless we are assured such attitude towards the local press would change, we have decided to suspend our publications.”

The local media persons also protested the decision of the police to lodge a first information report (FIR) against the reporter of New Delhi-based television news channel News X.

The FIR was lodged for reporting that a youth injured in security forces firing had died Saturday in the hospital.

“The news report was factually incorrect, motivated and loaded with malicious intention to vitiate the law and order situation in the Valley,” said a senior police officer, defending the decision to book the reporter.