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Media urged to scrutinise police versions

JAIPUR: Speakers at a conference on “Terrorism: Media, police and polity” here on Sunday expressed concern over the tendency of media to believe without scepticism the version of police in connection with their investigation into the series of terror attacks across the country and the “haste” depicted in branding the suspects as terrorists.

Academicians, civil rights activists, former civil servants and journalists attending the conference said the police were often guided by “extraneous factors” in their probe into the terrorist activities, such as an Opposition party’s campaign after the September 13 serial blasts in Delhi, and their role in containing terrorism did not always win people’s confidence.

The role of media in this backdrop was described as immensely significant in view of its clout and power to influence the public opinion. Speakers said the newspapers and television channels should refrain from publicising the dubious claims of police on the arrest of terror suspects as “gospel truth”.

The day-long event was organised jointly by the Initiative for Research and Affirmative Development Action and Rajasthan unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties to deliberate on the recent spate of raids, detentions, arrests and an encounter as part of probe into the serial blasts in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bangalore, Delhi and elsewhere.

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