IPS officer assaults journalist, Omar promises action

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday promised to look into the fresh act of police assault on a journalist by an IPS officer during a peaceful protest by female nursing college students in Srinagar.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday promised to look into the fresh act of police assault on a journalist by an IPS officer during a peaceful protest by female nursing college students in Srinagar.

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Scribes registered their protest with Omar during a press conference in Srinagar.

"I will look into the incident," he said.

Chandigarh-based newspaper reporter, Azhar Qadri, was beaten up and detained while he was covering students' protest near old secretariat.

"I was taking notes and asking the students the reason behind the protest. Suddenly, I was pounced from behind and slapped by the Shaheed Gunj sub-divisional police officer. On disclosing my identity, I was further beaten up by constables and taken to nearby police station," said Qadri.

The police officer behind the assault has been identified as Imtiyaz Ismail Parray, who hit headlines recently when he argued with security personnel of Union minister Farooq Abdullah at Amar Singh college.

The reporter alleged that the police forced him sign a bond that he will have to present himself before the court if asked.

In most cases of assault on journalists, the state government failed to take any action till date.

Kashmir Journalists Corps (KJC), a body of professional journalists working, condemned the assault. It has sought an immediate probe into the incident and action against the police officer and his security guards.

"This is not for the first time journalists have become the victims of police atrocity while performing their professional duties," a spokesman of KJC said.

The journalists body also urged Omar and the director general of police to intervene so that journalists can perform their duties without any fear.