Manzoor Sheeri

Baramulla, Dec 25 (KNS): Army allegedly thrashed three journalists and demaged their equipments when they were covering Jeshan-e- Baramulla event organised by Army on Friday.

According to eye-witness journalists who were covering the event said soon the event concluded the media persons stepped up for interviewing the former bollywood actress Amesha Patel but an army officer appeared at the scene and started misbehave while another trooper started hitting to journalists.

"As the Army officer mishbehaved with journalists, a trooper start hitting media persons including Ashiq Mir, Editor Kashmir Crown, Sheikh Dawood of AajTak/DDK, senior correspondent Kashmir Despatch Suhail Khan and also demaged camera of video journalist Mudasir Ahmad of News Network 18," said an eye-witness journalist.

Soon after the incident, the journalists staged protest demonstration against the high-handedness of Army and demanded stern action against the involved armymen.

“Initially we were invited to cover the function at Jashn-e-Baramulla by the Army, however after discharging our professional duties, we were not only beaten but our equipment was also destroyed”, said one of the journalist.

Meanwhile Baramulla Working Journalist Association (BWJA) and North Kashmir Journalists Association (NKJA) strongly condemned the attack on fellow journalists and urged Army top brass to initiate an inquiry into the matter. They said the media is considered a fourth pillar of democracy and hitting it means targetting democracy which is not only condemnable but deplorable as well.

However a senior army officials while visiting to protesting journalists assured that a strict action will be taken against the soldier who had allegedly beaten the journalists.

They termed the incident "umfortunate", saying a team will be constituted who will probe the matter and bring facts to fore. (KNS)