Missing J&K journalist was held by UP Police

A Delhi-based Kashmiri freelance journalist, Syed Fayaz Mohammed Rizvi, who went missing under mysterious circumstances was allegedly kept in illegal detention by UP police, reports Tushar Srivastava.

A Delhi-based Kashmiri freelance journalist, Syed Fayaz Mohammed Rizvi, who went missing under mysterious circumstances on Monday evening returned home in a dramatic manner escorted by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday.

HT Image

Rizvi, son of a retired senior Kashmir police officer, was allegedly picked up by the UP Police and kept in illegal detention for nearly 48 hours. The charges on which he was picked-up are not known.

“My family and I have gone through a lot of trouble in the last two days. I am in no state to talk right now. I am rushing to Srinagar to meet my family. My wife was alone in Delhi during this time as I was illegally detained. I would call a press conference once I am back from Kashmir,” Rizvi told the Hindustan Times.

“I want to thank the Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi Police for their efforts in getting me released safely. I was questioned on various issues, which I would not like to discuss right now,” he said.

When Rizvi who is a winner of numerous national and international awards in journalism the complaint states did not come back till 9:30 pm, Geetika tried to call him on his mobile but there was no response.

“His phone was later switched off. At 12:10 a.m., I received a call from him from his mobile that he was being interrogated for serious charges. When I asked who he was with, he said he wasn’t allowed to tell this. He told me to talk to a police officer and handed over the phone to him. The officer said he was being interrogated and will be sent back on Tuesday,” the complaint, a copy of which is with HT, said.

The family approached senior J&K police officers for help when there was no news about Rizvi till Wednesday.

The STF and ATS teams of UP Police and Ghaziabad Police denied that they had any role in Rizvi’s illegal detention.