By IANS

SRINAGAR: After photojournalist Masrat Zehra was booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) the Jammu & Kashmir Police has registered a case against another journalist Peerzada Ashiq.

A police statement said on Monday that on April 18, Cyber Police Station, Srinagar received information through reliable sources that one Facebook user namely Zehra was frequently uploading "anti-national posts with criminal intent".

"The post by the users can provoke the public to disturb the law and order and to glorify anti-national activities etc. In this regard FIR No. 10/2020 under the relevant provision of law was registered at Cyber Police Station. The Cyber Police Station called the Facebook user Masrat Zehra to Police Station for questioning," the statement said.

The statement further said that on April 19 information was received regarding a "fake news item" published in The Hindu newspaper by a journalist named Peerzada Ashiq, regarding an encounter at Shopian and subsequent developments.

"The details quoted in the news item were factually incorrect and could cause fear or alarm in the minds of public. The news was published without seeking confirmation from the district authorities. In this regard case FIR No. 81/2020 was registered in P/S Anantnag and the individual was called at P/S Anantnag for questioning. The police is under duty and lawfully empowered under CrPC to call for questioning. The investigation in both the cases is in progress," the statement read.

"IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar has appealed to the journalists/ media fraternity not to publish fake and fabricated news stories which has bearing on security of the nation and which has the potential of causing social instability and can lead to law and order problems. He appealed that any such information be clarified/confirmed before publication," the statement read.