J&K Police Summon Reporter To Srinagar Station For 15 Hours Across Four Days

The Jammu and Kashmir Police summoned allegedly Assistant Editor Bashaarat Masood to the Cyber Police Station in Srinagar multiple times over a four-day period in mid-January, keeping him there for a total of around 15 hours. Throughout these visits, Masood was reportedly made to wait for long stretches without being clearly informed why he had been called.

According to the report, Masood was first contacted by the police on the evening of January 14 and asked to appear at the Cyber Police Station the following afternoon. He was subsequently asked to report to the station on four separate days between January 15 and January 19, except for Sunday. His final visit took place on Monday morning.

During these interactions, the police asked Masood to sign a bond committing that he would not engage in any activity that could disturb public peace. The journalist, who has reported from Srinagar for The Indian Express for two decades, declined to sign the bond.

On January 16, the police reportedly took Masood from the Cyber Police Station before a magistrate in connection with the bond. Despite repeated summons and extended waiting periods at the station, the police allegedly did not clearly explain the specific grounds for calling him in or the purpose behind the prolonged questioning.

The incident has raised concerns within journalistic circles, particularly given Masood’s long-standing career in reporting from the region and the lack of clarity surrounding the police action.