Five Kashmir-based journalists resign after terror outfit TRF issues threat

Pic Credit: File Photo

Five journalists working for local newspapers in Kashmir have resigned after terrorist outfit TRF released a threat list against many journalists on social media. Terrorist outfit TRF through its media mouthpiece 'KashmirFight' recently published a list of over one dozen journalists who were accused of working for security agencies and the army. The names on the list included two editors of local newspapers, a manager few cameramen, and reporters.

After the list got public, five journalists quit their jobs and three published their resignations on their social media accounts announcing their separation from the newspapers they were working since years.

Top police officials said that The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group, is behind these threats. TRF had issued similar threats earlier also targeting reporters working for national News Channels after which the government had provided security cover and secure accommodation to a few journalists working for the national media.

Top police officials said "The contents of the threats depict the intention of terrorists and anti-national elements. They have put the lives of people, especially media persons in danger by publicly calling them corrupt and giving a direct threat".

An FIR has been registered in this case and around a dozen suspects have been picked up who is currently being questioned, the police added.

In Kashmir, journalists have often been under threat. Shujaat Bukhari, Editor of Rising Kashmir, who was killed in June 2018 by terrorists, is part of over a dozen Kashmiri journalists who were killed for their work.

Since 2019, when Kashmir's special status was revoked, several journalists have been jailed and called for questioning by the police alleging they have links with anti-national elements. 

The journalist fraternity in Kashmir had always remained forefront of covering the news in the toughest situation, but brazen is that no voice is alive to support this fraternity in their difficult times.