Condemnations pour in for pellet-hit scribes

Srinagar, January 22

Four photojournalists were hit by pellets while covering a gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday, sparking widespread condemnation.

The injured included an award-winning photographer Waseem Andrabi along with Nisar-ul-Haq, Junaid Gulzar and Mir Burhan. They received injuries on face and neck.

“We were heading towards the encounter site and there were clashes going on. The locals allowed us to move ahead after knowing that we had come to cover the encounter. Suddenly the forces fired pellets, injuring four of us,” said Andrabi, who works with a national daily.

The incident sparked condemnation from journalist bodies and politicians. The Kashmir Press Club, Kashmir Press Photographers’ Association, Kashmir Video Journalists’ Association and Kashmir Working Journalists’ Association strongly condemned the attack. The PDP and Congress also condemned it. — TNS