New Delhi (PTI): Editors Guild of India on Thursday slammed Jammu and Kashmir police for conducting raid at the house of a noted journalist of a prominent national daily in Srinagar, terming it as a "high-handed" and "intimidatory" action in violation of the freedom of press.

The Guild said the police action had caused harassment to the family of Shujaat Bukhari, Bureau Chief of The Hindu daily, and demanded that authorities in the state should stop such activities "which violate the freedom of expression".

Strongly condemning the "high-handed and intimidatory action" of the Counter Intelligence wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police in raiding Bukhari's residence, the Guild said in a statement here that the action is a "direct violation of the freedom of press".

The sleuths searched the house and were apparently looking for separatist leaders Shabir Shah and Naeem Khan. The journalist was not at home at the time of the raid.

"The raid on Bukhari's residence, in the guise of searching for wanted leaders, was also aimed at looking for papers and documents which would have been gathered by Bukhari in the course of his journalistic work," the statement issued by the Guild President Alok Mehta and Secretary General K S Sachidananda Murthy said.

"This raid is a direct violation of the freedom of press," the Guild added.