Army chief threatens to kill journalists

Soldiers beat a group of 17 journalists with sticks and batons as they covered a funeral procession in India’s troubled Kashmir province today, injuring at least three seriously.

The journalists - including a photographer for The Associated Press and a cameraman for Associated Press Television News - said they were beaten after the camp commander of India’s Border Security Force became enraged that they had not sought permission to cover the event in Srinigar.

During the funeral procession, AK Mallik, identified as the head of the border force camp, shouted at the journalists,: ‘‘Why are you here? I will kill you.’’

Senior officials with the border force later apologised and promised action would be taken against those responsible.

‘‘The officer lost control. He was upset over the death of the soldier,’’ said RP Singh, a deputy inspector-general of the border force. He said there would be a court inquiry into the assault.

Several paramilitary soldiers beat the journalists with bamboo sticks and batons, broke their equipment and hunted for them as they hid in residents’ homes, journalists said.

GS Gill, inspector-general with the border force, told the journalists, ‘‘I’m responsible for what has happened. I’m sorry.’’