Srinagar, Nov 21: Two media persons from Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir have been booked for allegedly publishing false and misleading reports, police said on Thursday.
According to a police official, the incident occurred in Sopore, where the journalists, identified as Mueeb ul Haq from Sopore and Suhail Khan from Delina Baramulla, were accused of misrepresenting a hit-and-run case as a murder case on social media platforms.
The official stated, “On Wednesday, Sopore Police Station received credible information that the two individuals had resorted to wrong reporting, posting frivolous news on social media that misrepresented facts. This misinformation rapidly spread across Sopore, creating the potential for law and order issues. It also hurt public sentiments and cast unwarranted doubt on the investigating agency.”
Following this, an FIR was registered under relevant legal sections, and both journalists were arrested.
The case pertains to an incident on November 5, when Azhar Janwari was injured in a hit-and-run accident. Janwari succumbed to his injuries on November 18 at SKIMS hospital in Srinagar. The accused driver, Nadeem Badam from Sopore, was traced and confessed to the offense, officials said.
Sopore police have urged both the public and the media to avoid spreading unverified information, emphasizing that such actions can disrupt public peace and hinder ongoing investigations.
