The Editors Guild of India on Monday expressed shock at the “casual manner” in which editors of Kashmir-based publications are “routinely detained” by security forces for their news reports or editorials and demanded an atmosphere where the media can operate without “fear or favour”.

It cited the “recent detention and the subsequent release — after many hours — of Fahad Shah, editor-in-chief of The Kashmir Walla,” a Srinagar-based publication. This was the third time that Shah was detained for his writings, it noted.

“There are scores of journalists who are experiencing this new normal where they can be hauled up by security forces for writing anything that goes contrary to the government narrative that peace has returned to the Valley,” the Guild said in a statement.