Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police have reportedly arrested a French journalist here for making a documentary on pellet victims. “Comiti Paul Edward has been detained for violating visa norms in Srinagar,” media reports quote a senior police officer.
Edward was arrested on December 10 evening from Kothibagh area. He was meeting separatists and pellet victims in the city to shoot his documentary, the police officer reportedly added.
Notably, December 10 is marked as Human Rights Day.
It may be recalled here that scores of protesting youths suffered injuries from pellet guns used in 2016 following youth uprising in the Valley after the July 8 killing of Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani. Some lost vision totally or partially after their injuries.
Edward has a passport and a business visa for India, valid up to December 22, 2018, the officer said.
A business visa does not allow anyone to make a documentary on political or security-related issues, he maintianed.
An FIR under Section 14B of the Passport Act had been registered against the French citizen, he said.
The French Embassy has also been informed about Edward’s detention, the officer said.
