New Delhi, November 30, 2011: In New Delhi, the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) of South Asia has demanded a thorough investigation into the injuries suffered by Associated Press (AP) cameraman Umar Meraj while covering protests in Srinagar on November 25. The Club mentioned that previous appeals to investigate similar incidents involving photojournalists from Agence France Press (AFP) have gone unanswered.
The FCC urged for a thorough probe into the affair, and to take necessary actions to protect journalists covering events in Kashmir.
Meraj was badly bruised and vomiting uncontrollably after the incident, which occurred when he was covering the protests. He reports being beaten by Indian armed forces with lathis, and is still suffering from headaches.
AP Bureau Chief Ravi Nessman said that AP journalists covering Kashmir Meraj and his father, Meraj Uddin Dar were badly beaten at a police checkpoint last year.