SCRIBE BOOKED ON CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE RIOT

The Jammu and Kashmir has filed an First Information Report (FIR) against a journalist based in northern Bandipore district over a WhatsApp status which referred to over 20 schoolchildren who died due to drowning in Wullar, the Asia’s largest freshwater lake, in May 2006 as “martyred”.

The WhatsApp status of Sajid Maqbool Raina, a reporter with local news gathering agency KNO - has the photographs of 20 victims with the caption, ‘Walur martyred…30th May 2006’.

It also says, “The children share graves here. Brothers have been buried together, somewhere three children are buried in the same grave. The tragedy is still fresh. #Boat collapsed”. (sic)

The FIR registered at the Bandipore police station on May 31 under sections 153 (want only giving provocation with intent to cause riot—if rioting be committed—if not committed ) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code accuses Sajid of uploading the “provocative post” on social media which may hurt the sentiments of the local people and could also disturb peace.

The sections of Valley’s media fraternity have expressed shock and dismay at the police action. However, a police official who spoke to this newspaper on the condition of anonymity said that the criticism is “unwarranted.” He said, “The reporter has not used the word martyrs for the deceased children but martyred, implying they were deliberately killed”.