Srinagar, October 19, 2021 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian police have arrested two photojournalist in the territory. The police arrested one photojournalist, Junaid Shafiq Peer, during a house raid in Untoo Hamam area of Sopore town.
The Sopore media association spokesman, Muneebul Haq said that Junaid Shafiq Peer was detained from his house in the Untoo Hamam area of Sopore. The officials claimed that he has been picked up for questioning. The police arrested another photojournalist Sulaiman Sath during night raid at his home in Ganderbal.
Junaid Peer works as a photo-journalist with Urdu newspaper Tameel-i-Irshad, while Sulaiman is associated with Urdu newspaper Daily Gadyal as a freelancer. Adnan Shafi Peer, brother of Junaid Peer, talking to media said that it was around 10:45 pm on Monday when the Indian forces cordoned the area and picked up Junaid from his home.
“We don’t know why he has been detained,” said Adnan. “We tried to reason with the police officials about his arrest but they have not given us any answer so far.” He said his brother is currently locked up at SDPO (sub-divisional police office) town hall in Sopore, “and the family is yet to meet him.”
“My father is at Sopore police station and I am at SDPO office. Since last night we have been running from pillar to post, but nobody is telling us anything about my brother’s arrest,” Adnan said. On the other hand, Sulaiman Sath’s father, Abdul Majid Butt, told media that it was around 7:50 pm on Sunday when police barged into their house and arrested his son. “It has been two days since my son has been arrested. And I am yet to find the reason for his arrest,” he said.
Butt added that soon after Sulaiman’s detention he visited Shadipora police station but was told to reach out to Ganderbal police station. Yesterday, I visited Ganderbal police station but was not allowed to meet my son, he said.
Earlier, this month five journalists were summoned or detained by the police administration in the valley. Journalists that were summoned or detained by the police and different investigative agencies were photojournalist Mukhtar Zahoor, editor Salman Shah, freelance journalist Suhail Dar, freelance journalist Sajad Gul and senior journalist Majid Hyderi.
Shah and Dar have been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and are currently lodged at district jail in Islamabad. Post August 5, 2019, after the Government of India directly took control of IIOJK by revoking its special status, as many as 50 journalists have been arrested, raided, barred from travelling while formal cases were registered against them.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org