Pulitzer-winning Kashmiri photojournalist stopped from flying abroad

A Pulitzer-winning Kashmiri photojournalist was Saturday stopped from flying abroad by immigration authorities at the Delhi airport who cited restrictions imposed on her by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Sanna Irshad Mattoo was on her way to Paris to attend a book launch event and participate in a photography exhibition when she was stopped by immigration authorities at the Delhi airport.

"Whatever happened today was totally unexpected," she told PTI.

In a tweet, she said, "I was scheduled to travel from Delhi to Paris today for a book launch and photography exhibition as one of 10 award winners of the Serendipity Arles grant 2020. Despite procuring a French visa, I was stopped at the immigration desk at Delhi airport." "I was not given any reason but told I would not be able to travel internationally," she tweeted.

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Mattoo alleged the immigration authorities did not give her any reason for stopping her from flying except saying that she could not travel abroad as there were restrictions.

Officials in the Jammu and Kashmir police confirmed that Mattoo had been placed on a no-fly list.

Sanna works as a photojournalist for Reuters and she won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in feature photography along with three of her colleagues, including slain journalist Danish Siddiqui, for their coverage of the Covid second wave in India.