SRINAGAR: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel allegedly roughed up several media persons when they were covering the protests at different places in Hajin-Sonawari belt in Bandipore district.
Ding-dong battles between Government forces and youth were reported from Hajan area. Reports said that agitated youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting on CRPF and police personnel.
Eyewitnesses said that CRPF personnel from 45 Battalion caught hold of several media men and without any provocation roughed them up.
We were covering the clashes when CRPF chased and thrashed us. Some of the media-men were asked to pick up stones and pelt them on the protestors who were entrenched on the other end of the road near Hajan Bridge, said, Hind Samachar reporter Mir Aftab, adding that CRPF personnel hit him with gun buts injuring his neck.
Reports said that at least three lens men working for different media houses suffered injuries. My camera was smashed into pieces and even my mike was damaged by irate CRPF personnel, Sofi Ayaz alleged.
CRPF personnel abused and thrashed us. They deleted all the photographs from our cameras and forced us to pelt stones on the protestors, another lens man Inayat Ahemd said.
When contacted CRPF spokesperson Kishor Prasad said that CRPF did not beat anyone but only advised those lens men to cover the incident from a safe distance.
If it is proved that, our men thrashed lens-men then appropriate action will be taken against the guilty, he assured. (CNS)
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