Scribes decry Siddiqui’s Lanka arrest

Mumbai: City journalists condemned the arrest of India-based Reuters photojournalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Danish Siddiqui by Sri Lankan police.

Mr Siddiqui was arrested for trespassing when he was trying to get in touch with the school management while trying to get details about a schoolgirl who was killed in the bombing of St Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya on April 21.

Reacting to the action against the photojournalist, Dharmendra Jore, chairman Press Club, Mumbai said, “This is like hacking through journalism. Not allowing them to work freely is not expected from any country that talks of democracy and freedom of Press. We also thank the judiciary for releasing him on bail considering his genuine purpose of being there."

Rajanish Kakade, secretary Bombay News Photographers’ Association said, “He is our colleague (from fraternity), and had gone there to perform his duty. Though he has been granted bail, we request the Sri Lankan government to drop the charges against him and allow him to come back to his family.”