Kashmir DGP regrets `manhandling` of photojournalist, mulls special badges for lensmen

Srinagar: Regretting an incident of alleged manhandling of a photojournalist, the Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday said that it is mulling special identification badges for lensmen belonging to media organisations to facilitate their field work.

"While regretting the recent unfortunate incident involving a photojournalist and a police officer, DGP SP Vaid hoped that such isolated instances will not come in the way of the energised approach of the law enforcing agency and the media fraternity. The matter is being looked into," an official spokesman said here.

Vaid said that the police in consultation with the media fraternity intend to provide special identification badges to photojournalists so that they are facilitated in performing their professional duties.

The statement comes two days after local media houses decided not to publish police press releases or advertisements till Vaid apologised for an alleged incident of manhandling of photojournalists by a police officer last Thursday outside separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's residence.

The Kashmir Editors' Guild (KEG), a representative body of editors of local publications, had also demanded action against the police officer.

Vaid lauded the media-police relations, saying that the two institutions have been working in complete harmony and in a spirit of camaraderie amid challenging situations.

It is heartening that the media and the police are performing their professional responsibilities by understanding each other fully, even at times when the situation unfolds numerous challenges, he said.

The DGP hoped that the media, being the fourth pillar of democracy, will perform its professional obligations in most conducive atmosphere and assured that the police will always facilitate their job by providing all sort of assistance.