Kashmiri journalist in hospital after police beating
A prominent video journalist has been admitted to hospital in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir after being severely beaten by police.
Merajuddin, who works as a cameraman for APTN, was hit with a baton in the neck and fell unconscious. Police also beat his son and colleague, Omar Meraj.
There have been a number of such attacks on local journalists recently.
The authorities have declared a curfew following violent anti-India protests in which scores have died since June.
The two journalists had been heading to the state assembly in Srinagar when they were stopped by police, who refused to let them pass despite their having curfew passes.
When Merajuddin insisted on speaking to their officer, the policemen became angry and beat him.
The assault happened while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was apologising in the assembly for the seizure of newspapers by the police in Srinagar on Friday morning.
He told members the police had seized the newspapers without his knowledge.
The media is under increasing pressure in the state.
One senior journalist, Sheikh Mushtaq, said: "We have never felt so insecure as now. We not only face a threat to our lives but are also humiliated off and on."
A prominent video journalist has been admitted to hospital in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir after being severely beaten by police.
Merajuddin, who works as a cameraman for APTN, was hit with a baton in the neck and fell unconscious. Police also beat his son and colleague, Omar Meraj.
There have been a number of such attacks on local journalists recently.
The authorities have declared a curfew following violent anti-India protests in which scores have died since June.
The two journalists had been heading to the state assembly in Srinagar when they were stopped by police, who refused to let them pass despite their having curfew passes.
When Merajuddin insisted on speaking to their officer, the policemen became angry and beat him.
The assault happened while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was apologising in the assembly for the seizure of newspapers by the police in Srinagar on Friday morning.
He told members the police had seized the newspapers without his knowledge.
The media is under increasing pressure in the state.
One senior journalist, Sheikh Mushtaq, said: "We have never felt so insecure as now. We not only face a threat to our lives but are also humiliated off and on."
