Journalist #ShujaatBukhari shot dead: ‘A direct attack on press freedom’
A clear attack on the media, the killing will have a silencing effect on Valley journalists.
In some terrible news coming from Kashmir, Rising Kashmir Editor-in-Chief Shujaat Bukhari was shot dead by gunmen outside his office in Press Colony, Srinagar, today. Bukhari was in his car when he was attacked; he was leaving for his home for iftaar. Two personal security officers (PSOs) were also injured in the attack, one of whom was driving the car.
All three were rushed to the nearest hospital where Bukhari and both the PSOs succumbed to their injuries. Bukhari received multiple bullets in the head and abdomen, according to Free Press Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the attack and said, “Terrorism has hit a new low with Shujaat’s killing.”
What is shocking about the attack is that it occurred in broad daylight in a busy market. Press Colony is about 100 metres away from the historical Lal Chowk, which is a tourist attraction. The area is also home to offices of prominent legacy media organisations like Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Live, Kashmir Monitor and so on. The incident is being seen as a clear attack on the press. Newslaundry was present on the spot about 15 minutes after the attack. The alley leading up to the Press Colony bore testament to the deadly attack with glass shards scattered on the road and bullet marks on the wall.
Soon after the attack, shopkeepers in the area pulled down their shutters, an eerie silence prevailed. Speaking to Newslaundry, Zafar Iqbal of NDTV said this was a huge loss and that the journalist fraternity is reeling under shock. Bashir Manzar, editor of Kashmir Images and member of Editors’ Guild, said, “We’ve had a history of journalists being attacked. This is worse than a fidayeen attack because it happened in broad daylight in a market before sunset. I am in shock, this is unbelievable.”
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz, who works with State Times and is a close friend and colleague of Bukhari, said: “Just a few weeks ago, I had asked him to be careful. Even though the ceasefire had been announced…we know how it works. It gives the militants a free run to move around. This is shocking. It is an attack on the press. We have lost all faith in the security apparatus. Bukhari had protection, still, it happened to him. The rest of us don’t even have protection.”
The Press Club of Jammu has condemned the attack. “This is not the first case, in past as well, there have been cases of assault and attack on journalists while on duty and it is a direct attack on the fourth pillar of our democracy,” pointed out Ashwani Kumar and demanded that the state government must ensure the safety of journalists.
Director General of Police SP Vaid said, “The gunmen chose a weak moment to attack him, just before iftaar.”
Bukhari had organised several conferences for peace in the Kashmir Valley. One of his last tweets spoke of the United Nations report on human rights violations in the Valley. Last year, Bukhari was part of The Media Rumble where he spoke on the trials of reporting from Kashmir. He spoke of the distance between New Delhi and Kashmir.
Bukhari had survived three assassination attempts in the past and had police protection since 2000. Several journalists took to Twitter to condemn the attack and pay their condolences.
You can read all of Bukhari’s pieces here.