‘Threat lists’ cause panic among scribes in Kashmir

Some journalists and newspaper owners against whom militants issued threats are living under security cover, but many don't have security

Despite Jammu and Kashmir police filing a case against Lashkar-e-Toiba and its offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) handlers for allegedly issuing online threats to journalists, the ‘threat lists’ continue to surface on social media causing panic among scribes.

On Saturday, the police registered a case at Srinagar’s Shergari police station under the stringent UAPA and several IPC sections, including those related to promoting enmity between groups against unknown handlers of the LeT and its offshoot TRF after a threat poster against two prominent English dailies surfaced through a blog, The Kashmir Fight.

The blog also blamed the news outlets for being “hand-in-glove with the government”. On Sunday names of 12 more journalists and newspaper owners surfaced in another TRF threat list, where they were labeled as “agents of police, army and intelligence agencies.” On Monday, one more such list with names of 12 more journalists surfaced.

While some of the journalists and newspaper owners against whom the threats have been issued by the militants are already living under security cover, a majority of those whose names surfaced in recent days are without any security.

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The threat posters have caused panic among the journalist fraternity in Kashmir. “The labeling of journalists as agents is dangerous as it has made them vulnerable to attacks. Though some journalists were receiving threats and a few were killed by militants in the last more than three decades, the latest trend is dangerous as a large number of scribes have been now labeled,” a Srinagar based journalist wishing not to be named, said.

Echoing his views, another scribe said that national and international media bodies should take concrete and immediate steps to ensure the safety of journalists in Kashmir.

“These media bodies must use their good offices to pressurize those who are issuing these threats. The government must also take steps to safeguard the lives of journalists in Kashmir, who are already working in difficult conditions,” he demanded.