Srinagar, July 28: Expressing regret over the death of three tourists in an accidental gas cylinder blast at Bijbehara in south Kashmir today, the Srinagar-based civil society advocacy group, Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS), has condemned sections of the national media for reporting the blast as a grenade attack.
“KCSDS members while expressing solidarity with the families of the deceased have noted with deep anguish the reportage of this incident as a grenade blast and is considering taking legal action against a news channel which has wrongly been reporting the incident as a grenade blast, thereby sowing discord among the people”, a press release released by KCSDS said today.
“This kind of irresponsible and highly impulsive sound-bite journalism, while causing tremendous damage to the reputation of Kashmir, serves to damage the valley’s economy by creating a fear psychosis among potential tourists and pilgrims to the Amarnath,” it said.
The Society has also decided to write to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to lodge a formal complaint against the news channel which has a reputation of reporting on Kashmir with a line that promotes disharmony among various communities. “Such reporting is often without credible research and verification of facts,” the press release adds.
Members of the group have appealed to all the tourists in Kashmir to continue their holidaying without any fear or discomfort.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST