Editors Guild condemns raid on journalist's house in Srinagar

New Delhi, Aug 28 (UNI) The Editors Guild of India today strongly condemned the ''high-handed and intimidatory'' action of the Counter Intelligence wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police in raiding the residence of prominent journalist Shujaat Bukhari, Bureau Chief of The Hindu, at Srinagar on August 27.

The sleuths searched the house and were apparently looking for prominent seperatist leaders Shabir Shah and Naeem Khan.

The family of Bukhari was harassed. Mr Bukhari was not at home at the time of the raid.

The raid at Mr Bukhari's residence, in the guise of searching for wanted leaders, was also aimed at looking for papers and documents which would been gathered by Mr Bukhari in the course of his journalistic work, the Guild said.

''This raid is a direct violation of the freedom of the press and the Guild demands that the authorities should stop such activities which violate the freedom of expression, its President Alok Mehta and Secretary General K Sachidananda Murthy said here in a statement.

UNI NAZ SR RN1905