Activists of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF-Nanaji Group) led by their convenor Javed Ahmed Mir Thursday ransacked the office of Greater Kashmir, a leading English daily in Srinagar and wounded four staffers of the newspaper.
According to the newspaper, the perpetrators led by former militant Mir, carried out the assault in a planned way by pushing his henchmen to attack reporters, who were taken by surprise by their action. Most of the activists were apparently drunk.
"Why don't you carry our press releases? You don't know us. We'll get you killed," said the gang's leader as he picked up computers and hurled them at the young reporters in the newsroom. The newspaper's staffers managed to apprehend one of the activists who was subsequently handed over to the police. A case has been registered.
The newspaper said, "Today's attack on Greater Kashmir, which is actually part of a sustained effort to coerce this premier institution synonymous with people's aspirations, has emboldened us to defy diktats and withstand pressures from political forces with fascist tendencies."
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has ordered a high-level inquiry into the attack. An official spokesman said that immediately after receiving news of the incident, the Chief Minister asked Director-General of Police Gopal Sharma to take necessary action against the culprits.
The spokesman said Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir Faooq Ahmed, and other senior police officials immediately rushed to the spot.
The incident has been condemned widely. The Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed the incident as unfortunate. Mirwaiz said, "This only strengthens the commitment of journalists of Kashmir who dare to work in such vulnerable conditions." A spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani spokesman said, "These incidents are being carried out to defame the freedom movement. This has happened and may continue to happen but we will always remain steadfast on our stand and approach."
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik while condemning the incident, described it as a dastardly act by some disgruntled and frustrated elements who are out to damage the objectivity of journalism in Kashmir.
