Journalists Covering Clashes Hit By Pellets in J&K’s Shopian

Locals clashed with the security forces during an encounter who then used pellet guns to disperse them.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: PTI)

Four photojournalists were hit by pellets in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir during a clash between the locals and the CRPF on Tuesday, 22 January, Hindustan Times (HT) reported. Among the injured was also award-winning photojournalist Waseem Andrabi.

The other three injured were Nasir ul Haq of Rising Kashmir, Junaid Gulzar of Kashmir Essence and Mir Burhan of ANI who were in Shopian to cover an encounter.

According to HT, Andrabi was hit on the face and hands and was taken to the local health centre by other photographers. He will undergo further treatment in Srinagar.

Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported.

Locals clashed with the security forces during the encounter who then used pellet guns to disperse them.

Former chief minister of J&K and National Conference chief Omar Abdullah condemned the incident and said that the “indiscriminate use of force, often without any accountability, will always be counterproductive.”

Kashmir National Television Journalist Association (KNTJA) also condemned the attack on the photojournalists.

“Journalists were performing their duties and while covering the encounter and protests at Shopian site, they were showered with pellets injuring 4 members of the fraternity,” it said in a statement, as quoted by HT.

According to HT, Waseem Andrabi won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award for his extensive coverage of the conflict and curfew in Kashmir after militant leader Burhan Wani’s killing in July 2016.

(With inputs from HT and PTI)