Srinagar: A woman photojournalist working in Kashmir was on Monday booked for allegedly posting anti-national content on social media with the intention to “incite the youth” and promote “offences against tranquillity”, police said.
The development comes close on the heels of police summoning senior journalist Peerzada Ashiq, working for a national daily, over a story he had filed recently.
Ashiq was summoned by the police on Sunday in two different districts of Kashmir within a span of six hours to explain his position regarding one of his news reports.
The action against the two journalists comes amidst a crackdown by police, including its cyber wing, on internet users peddling fake news or uploading anti-national content on the virtual platform.
Meanwhile, Police in a statement issued today said that its Cyber Police Station Kashmir, Srinagar received information through reliable sources that one Facebook user namely Masrat Zehra is frequently uploading anti-national posts with the criminal intention. The post by the users can provoke the public to disturb the law and order and to glorify the anti-national activities etc.
“In this regard FIR No. 10/2020 under the relevant provision of law was registered at Cyber Police Station. The Cyber Police Station called the Facebook user Masrat Zehra to Police Station for questioning and not called to Air Cargo Complex,” said the statement.
“On 19.04.2020 an information has been received regarding a fake news item being published in the “The Hindu” news paper by the journalist namely Pir Zada Ashiq, regarding an encounter at Shopian and subsequent developments. The details quoted in the news item were factually incorrect and could cause fear or alarm in the minds of public. In this regard Case FIR No. 81/2020 was registered in P/S Anantnag and the individual was called at P/S Anantnag for questioning,” said the statement.
The police is under duty and lawfully empowered under Cr.PC to call for questioning. The investigation in both the cases is in progress, the statement said.
Meanwhile IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar IPS has appealed the members of journalist/ media fraternity to not to publish fake/ fabricated news/ stories, which have bearing on security of the nation and potential of causing social instability and can lead to law and order problem.
