Jammu: A senior journalist was hospitalized after being assaulted by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a protest in the Kathua district of Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, prompting protests by the local journalist community.

According to reports from Kashmir Media Service, Rakesh Sharma, a reporter for Dainik Jagran, was covering a BJP protest over a recent incident in Pahalgam at Kalibari Chowk when he was attacked. The journalist community has condemned the assault and demanded the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused BJP members.

A video of the incident, showing the assault, has gained traction on social media platforms. Sharma recounted that he was covering the protest led by BJP legislators Devinder Manyal, Rajiv Jasrotia, and Bharat Bhushan when BJP activist Himanshu Sharma accused him of speaking a “separatist language” for questioning security issues, which fall under the jurisdiction of Home Minister Amit Shah.

The situation escalated as other BJP activists, including Ravinder Singh, Ashwani Sharma, Manjit Singh, Tony, and Parveen Chuna, joined Himanshu Sharma in attacking the journalist. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravinder Singh intervened, rescuing Sharma and arranging for his treatment at Government Medical College Hospital.

In response, a group of senior journalists met with Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua Shobhit Saxena, urging for immediate action, including the filing of an FIR and the arrest of the accused BJP members. Journalists, wearing black armbands, protested at Shaheedi Chowk in Kathua, announcing a boycott of all BJP events until appropriate action is taken. Solidarity protests were also held outside the press club in Jammu.

The Pradesh Congress Committee also condemned the attack, stating that Sharma’s only wrongdoing was asking “undesirable questions” amidst growing security concerns.