Kashmiri Journalist Assaulted in Pune, Told He Would Be 'Sent Back'
The assault occurred amid reports of attack on Kashmiris living in other parts of the country in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama attack.
Pune, February 22: A journalist from Jammu and Kashmir was assaulted by two men in Maharashtra's Pune city on Thursday night. The assault occurred amid reports of attack on Kashmiris living in other parts of the country in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama attack. The Pune Police on Friday registered a case against two accused and arrested one of them. The police dubbed it as an incident of road rage.
Jibran Nazir, who works with a newspaper in Pune, said he was thrashed by two men on Pune's Tilak Road around 10.45 pm when he was returning home on a motorbike. As he stopped at a traffic signal, two men on a motorbike behind him started honking, asking him to move, which led to a fight. Noticing that his motorbike had a Himachal Pradesh (HP) registration number, the two said they would send him off to Himachal Pradesh. Kashmiri Students Thrashed, Forced to Chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in Yavatmal, Yuva Sena Condemns Attack.
When Nazir told them that he is a journalist from Jammu and Kashmir, the two beat him up, saying "we will send you back to Kashmir, do your journalism there," he claimed. However, the attackers later apologised to Nazir at a police station after which he withdrew his police complaint. A police officer told news agency IANS that the incident was not linked to the Pulwama attack.
Later on Friday evening, the Pune Police registered a case, on their own, against Azharuddin Shaikh, 32, and Dattatray Lavate, 35, the two suspects. While Azharuddin Shaikh was arrested, the police were in the process of arresting Dattatray Lavate, Nazir said.
Kashmiri people living in other states have been facing the brunt of people's anger after the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF troopers and which was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Earlier today, the Supreme Court directed the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police (DGPs) in states and union territories to take prompt action to prevent threats, assault, intimidation and boycott targeted at Kashmiris, especially students, in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2019 11:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).