Plea seeking directions to media to use word 'martyr' instead of 'killed' dismissed

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to the media to use the words martyr or 'shaheed' instead of 'killed' when reporting deaths of security personnel in terror or other attacks.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao declined to hear the petition by a lawyer, who had contended that use of words like 'killed' or 'died' was not respectful. Referring to the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, Chaudhary said the deaths should have been described by the media using "respectful words" like martyred or 'shaheed' and not killed or died.