Srinagar, Aug 20: A photojournalist was injured while covering a protest demonstration in downtown Gojwara here Friday afternoon after being hit by a tear smoke shell.
Tauseef Mustafa, who works with Agence France Presse (AFP), was hit by a tear smoke canister fired by a joint party of police and CRPF in his left leg.
“We were not allowed to cover the protests by the CRPF from their side. We were forced to move towards the protesters,” photojournalists accompanying Tauseef said.
“We were covering the protests from the crowd. A teargas shell fired by a cop directly hit him in leg,” they said. Tauseef was admitted in SMHS hospital.
 “Only one shell was fired and it hit me,” Mustafa told Greater Kashmir alleging he could have been targeted by police or CRPF.
 Police has denied the allegations saying no cop fired teargas on the journalist.
 The photojournalists said they earlier had an argument with an SP in the area who accused the Kashmir press of being responsible for the killings of 60 persons in police and CRPF firing.
 Meanwhile, Kashmir Press Photographers Association has condemned the attack on Tauseef.
 The Association has condemned the allegations levelled by senior police officers on the photojournalists for being responsible for the ongoing unrest and civilian killings in Valley.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST