A day after journalists were lathi-charged by police while discharging professional duties in Srinagar, Sajad Hameed, a photojournalist with the Free Press Journal, who was one of the reporters at the receiving end of the violence, talks about the ordeal.
Hameed said that though there were restrictions, they started covering the on the Muharram procession at Central Market in Lal Chowk but trouble started when they went to Jehangir chowk.
Hameed said, "The police were abusing Hindustan Times journalist Waseem Andrabi. I asked them to not abuse my fellow journalist but they started beating me up instead. They hit me on the leg and broke the lens of my camera. I am in a lot of pain and I have suffered a huge loss."
Hameed also said that though they questioned the police about the reason they were being beaten up, no explanations were give. "There was no reason to beat us up or abuse us," he said.
Jammu & Kashmir, DGP Dilbag Singh on Wednesday ordered immediate action against the police officer for "undesirable behaviour." Hameed also said that they want strict action to be taken against the cop who beat them up as he can 'escalate his behaviour'.
Hameed said that he is not deterred by the beating he received and will continue to report on the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the police should understand that journalists are just doing their jobs and should not harass them.
