Udhampur Attack: Kashmir’s leading newspapers use fake image of burning truck

IRFAN QURAISHI

SRINAGAR: Amid prevailing turbulence in the state of Jammu and Kashmir due to the cow slaughter row followed by the attack on Kashmir bound truck in Udhampur district of Jammu division, the role of local media is proven disgusting.

Curtsy : Amar Ujala & FB

Shockingly the prominent daily newspapers of the state used an image of burning truck appearing on their publications, websites and their face book pages with their stories without any check on the facts. However the fact is that the image of burning truck used by these largest dailies is not real as the picture was circulated on social networking by unknown users.     

These newspapers disgracefully have given credits to this fake image.  The issue triggered outrage among netizens on social networking as the real image of the truck surfaced with this fake image. It is being viewed that the media ethics are being openly violated while reporting such a sensitive issue. It is being observed that this type of reporting not only misleads a reader and spread hatred but also lowers the standards of journalism in J&K.

“Reporting facts is not always easy especially in difficult times. On Sunday when i started screening Kashmir based leading news papers to read the news reports of attack on truckers in Udhampur, i was surprised to see Image of burning truck appearing on PAGE 1 of these publications. To my utter surprise and shock they had all used a FAKE pix,” wrote Mohit Kandhari, a resident of Jammu in his facebook post. This unprofessional dissemination and depiction of information has begun debate on social networking in which questions are being raised on the fourth estate of democracy, i.e., media.

Pertinently three persons, including a policeman, received critical burn injuries in the attack on Kashmir bound truck at Shiv Nagar area of the Udhampur district yesterday night following which six persons have been arrested. The truck was on its way to Srinagar from Jammu and was stationary since yesterday near Shiv Nagar area as traffic on Jammu-Srinagar Highway was stopped in view of the day-long strike called by various Hindu outfits following recovery of three carcasses of cows in the district. Three persons were sleeping inside the truck when they were attacked and reportedly they were sprinkled with combustible substance, officials said.