Police launches a clampdown on media in Kashmir in bid to contain violence

The Mehbooba Mufti government has reportedly launched a major clampdown on the local media in an attempt to block news and information to contain the violence brewing in Jammu and Kashmir. [caption id=“attachment_2896800” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image of a curfew in Jammu and Kashmir. PTI[/caption] Early Saturday morning, police raided the offices of major newspapers in Srinagar and shut down a major printing press , reported The Hindustan Times. Mobile services in the state remain suspended since Thursday and the police launched a raid on Kashmir’s largest circulating English daily Greater Kashmir around midnight. It also seized thousands of copies of major English and Urdu newspapers. Although the authorities took away the printing plates of the newspaper, the e-paper has been uploaded. The publishers on their websites have claimed that their print copies were seized and people working for the printing press were also arrested, reported The Indian Express. Police also arrested its foreman Biju Chaudary and two other employees, the website said. Apart from Greater Kashmir, KT press was also shut down. “Police seized newspaper copies in thousands besides printing material and plates of a few newspapers,” Raja Mohi ud Din, owner of KT press was quoted as saying. KT press is one of major printing press in the Valley and prints dailies like Kashmir Reader, Tameel-e-Irshad, Kashmir Times, Kashmir Observer, The Kashmir Monitor, Kashmir Observer, Brighter Kashmir and Kashmir Age. The hawkers in the Lal Chowk city centre alleged that the police did not allow them to distribute the newspapers and seized their copies. Curfew remains imposed on all the 10 districts of the valley to prevent any escalation in violence, reported DNA. Only BSNL fixed line broadband services are operational in the valley. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, a police official said. The unrest in the valley continues since Thursday after militant Burhan Wani was killed. Hurriyat conference leaders have extended their strike till Monday evening. With inputs from PTI.