Downtown boys likely to be freed today
Police says 40 youth were arrested for stone pelting
Forty boys, who were arrested from different parts of downtown Srinagar on charges of stone pelting, are likely to be released on Friday ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“They were involved in normal crimes like stone pelting so it was our duty to arrest them for the time being so that they would think next time before getting involved in these crimes. They will be released today,” reliable sources in police department told.When contacted, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, SJM Gilani said they are going to review the cases of arrested youth on Friday “following which a decision would be taken regarding their release”.
Police carried out night raids and arrested over 40 youth from downtown. According to sources, police raids have forced dozens of youth to go into hiding. Police sources said it was still looking for around 100 youth for their alleged role in separatist protests and stone pelting on police and paramilitary forces.
When asked whether the youth will be re arrested after Eid, police officials said: “We won’t arrest them if the youth resist being part of separatist protests.”
“We do their counseling every time we pick them and we see a good change from past one year in the behavior of youth,” they said.
Meanwhile, families of the arrested youth have lodged strong protest against what they term as “illegal” detention.
“It is illegal detention. Police has to show its presence and they pick up our sons to show their so-called bravery,” said family members of the youth who were arrested.
Meanwhile, National Conference has condemned the arrest spree. “Nearly five dozen youth had been arrested in nocturnal raids in the past few days in Srinagar while hundreds were being selectively hounded and harassed which is tragic and saddening,” NC Spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said.
Hurriyat Conference (M) has also denounced the arrest of youth. “It is shameless on part of the government to raid the houses of youth during pre-dawn (Sehri) hours in this holy month of Ramadan,” party spokesman said.
