Don't show live coverage of Punjab terror attack: Government to TV channels

The information and broadcasting ministry on Monday asked TV channels not to show live coverage of the ongoing anti-terrorism operations in Dinanagar town of Gurdaspur district in Punjab and said some channels carried such telecasts in violation of rules.

The ministry issued an advisory and said it had notified the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2015, which state that no programme shall be carried in the cable service which contains live coverage of anti-terrorist operation by security forces.

It said the media coverage should be restricted to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate government till such operation concludes.

"It has been brought to the ministry's notice that during today's (Monday) ongoing anti-terrorist operations in Gurdaspur, Punjab, some news and current affairs TV channels carried telecast of these operations without restricting themselves to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate government, though the operations had not been concluded," the advisory said.

It said such telecast was in "clear violation" of the cable television networks amendment rules and was therefore "liable for action".

"They are hereby advised to desist from further violation of the above-said rules with immediate effect," the advisory said.

Information and broadcasting ministry secretary Bimal Julka told IANS that the ministry had requested all channels to cooperate with the government on the sensitive issue.

The ministry had issued a similar advisory in March following a terror strike in Kathua.

"The Punjab operation not being shown 'live' on @IndiaToday or @aajtak . All pictures being used as deferred after due diligence and editing," senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, said in a tweet.

At least six people were killed and 10 injured when terrorists carried out an attack in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district, firing indiscriminately and then storming a police station.