2 SHOs, 7 others shifted for thrashing J&K scribes

Two station house officers (SHOs) and seven other police officials were transferred or attached with the district police lines on Wednesday, a day after media persons covering a face-off between Shia mourners and security personnel at Srinagar’s Jehangir Chowk intersection were thrashed and the equipment of a couple of them damaged by the policemen.

A video showing a police official hitting lensmen and reporters with a long cane and then chasing them away had gone viral, evoking criticism by social media users.

Various organisations of mediapersons had condemned the use of force against photojournalists and reporters and urged the police authorities to respect the freedom of the press and ensure strict disciplinary action against the policemen involved in the incident. Several police parties also voiced dismay over the incident.

Early Thursday, the police authorities said that J&K’s director-general of police Dilbag Singh felt discontented with the “undesirable behaviour” of the police officer who initiated the confrontation and had ordered action against him and others.

The attack on journalists evoked criticism from various quarters.

Soon Srinagar’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) issued a formal order under which inspector Aftab Ahmed who thrashed the mediapersons and eight other officials, including two station house officers (SHOs), have been removed from their present postings and transferred to other Srinagar police stations or DPL “in the interest of administration”