Booked under 107 CrPC, Two Kashmiri Journalists Shifted to District Jail

Salman Shah and Suhail Dar- the journalists from Anantnag who are under detention have been shifted to Anantnag’s district jail on Thursday.

Speaking to The Kashmiriyat the family members of the detained Journalists said that the duo has been shifted to Mattan jail- the district jail for Anantnag district from their respective Police stations.

Suhail Dar, 24, was detained on 08 October, after being called to the concerned Police Station. Days after on 12 October, the editor of The Kashmiriyat, Salman Shah was put under detention.

According to Imran Shah, the brother of Salman, he had went to the Sherbagh Police Station, where Salman was being held. “I was informed that he along with Suhail Darhas been shifted to Anantnag’s district Jail.”Suhail’s family also confirmed that Suhail has been shifted to the District jail of Anantnag.

Official Sources meanwhile said that Suhail and Salman have been booked under section 107 of the CrPC. The law allows pre-emptive detention of a person based on suspicion.

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Two journalists detained for ‘questioning’ in Anantnag

Two journalists have been detained in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the last week for “questioning”. Both continue to be in detention – one among them for the past five days. 

Salman Shah, 30, editor of an online weekly magazine – Kashmir First and 21-year-old Suhail Dar, a freelance journalist, both the residents of Anantnag district, have been detained as per their families. 

On 8 October, at around 4pm, Dar had received a call from the police asking him to report to the Sadder Police station, Anantnag. Tariq Ahmad Dar, his elder brother told The Kashmir Walla: “He [Dar] went to the police station in the evening between 6 to 6:30pm. He has not been released since.”Tariq said that the family went to the police station the next morning where they were told to come back in a few days. “They [police] are not telling us what the reason is. They have just kept him locked. At least we deserve to know the allegations [against him],” said Tariq. 

Dar is a resident of Batengoo area of Anantnag, who has been working as a freelance journalist with local publications and is the only son staying with his father as his two brothers live separately. 

Tariq further said that the family had again visited the police station today but “were told to come four days later”. “I had requested them to release him but the police said that we will have to wait for four more days,” he added. 

The Kashmir Walla tried to reach out to the Station House Officer, Sadder Police Station, Anantnag, Masrat Mir on hearing the matter said that he doesn’t want to comment on the issue.

In a similar incident, on Tuesday, Salman Shah, was busy with his work at his home in Sheerpora area of Anantnag district when a team of police forces came to his house. 

Imran Shah, 38, Salman’s elder brother while speaking to The Kashmir Walla said that the police from Sherbagh police post came to their house at around 7 pm and took him along with them. When the family questioned, they were asked to report to the police station the next morning. 

“He has always been helpful,” said Imran, his brother. “I don’t understand why the authorities have taken him when he has done absolutely nothing.” 

Imran said that the family is distressed as they have no idea why their kin was taken. Salman runs an online weekly magazine Kashmir First and supports his family.

Speaking to The Kashmir Walla, Majid Nadeem, head of Sherbagh Police Post in Anantnag, said that Shah has been detained for “questioning”. 

“He is being questioned at the moment and as far as I know he will be released in the evening,” he said. 

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Photojournalist Mukhtar Zahoor detained in Mid-night raid in srinagar

A Srinagar-based photojournalist was detained in a mid-night raid from his residence in Dalgate area of the city last night.

Mukhtar Zahoor, 27, works as a stringer with the BBC and has been published in Al Jazeera, The Caravan, Bloomberg and Wall Street Journal. 

As per his family, last night at around 12:30am, he received a phone call from someone asking him to come downstairs to the main gate of his house. 

His sister Saima Zahoor, 23, told The Kashmir Walla that, “when he opened the gate, there was a group of armed personnel and the police force”.

“They asked for his name and when he replied ‘Mukhtar’, they took him along,” she said. “After taking him, they also took his camera. A police officer asked me to get my phone and he took that with him. He then asked me to clear all the things that were scattered in my brother’s room.” 

The family further said that when they enquired with the police, they assured it was for questioning and to come to the police station Ram Munshi Bagh in the morning. 

Next morning at 10am, the family was told that Mukhtar was there but the family should come back in the evening at 5pm instead.  

Showkat Ahmad, the president of the Mohalla Khalpora Dalgate, told The Kashmir Walla that at midnight, the police came and took him along with them.

Ahmad said that the police did not tell them why Muktar was detained but were asked to come in the morning. 

Next morning, Ahmad had gone to the police station along with the family members. “In the morning we were told that the officer is unavailable and they should come in the evening,” he added.

The Kashmir Walla spoke to the Station House Officer (SHO), Ram Munshi Bagh, Tauseef Meer, who said that the police had some suspicion and they are questioning him over the same. 

“We are questioning him at the moment. Everything is almost clear and most probably he will be released soon,” he said. 

However, he didn’t give any exact reasons for his detention. 

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