- Scores including minors detained during night raids
- Many youth involved in stone pelting were arrested: SSP
In order to crush the unrest in the Valley, police has launched a crackdown on youth in uptown and downtown Srinagar and detained many youngsters including minors during the raids in last few days.
People from different areas of downtown including, Nawabazar, Nowhatta, Gojwara, Khanyar, Chattabal, Rainawari and Khanyar complained that police has launched arrest spree and detained scores of youth.
They alleged that police men have been conducting raids during day and night and dragging youth out of their homes.
They alleged that the cops beat the youth in front of their family members and later detain them and lodge them in different police stations.
Residents of Nowhatta said policemen detain anyone who comes their way.
“Many youth have been detained when they were out to offer prayers at mosques,” they said.
An elderly person of Khanyar, wishing not to be named, said policemen barge into the houses anytime and detain youth present in the house.
“They also misbehave with the inmates and ransack the household items,” he said adding many youth of the area have been detained in last few days.
People in uptown Srinagar also complained that police has launched a crackdown on youth.
The residents of Batamaloo alleged that many youth have been arrested since past week.
“Dozens of youth have been detained in Tengpora, Batamaloo and other Uptown areas of Srinagar. They have been booked in false cases of stone pelting,” they said.
People alleged that many minors have been also detained from Old City and Civil Lines areas of Srinagar by police and lodged in different police stations.
SSP Srinagar, Amit Kumar said many youth have been detained from different areas of Srinagar for their involvement in stone pelting.
“We don’t have the exact figure and don’t know about minors have been detained. We arrest anyone who pelts stones,” he said.
Condemning the arrest spree of youth, Hurriyat Conference (M) Shahid-ul-Islam said Hurriyat’s legal cell has reports that hundreds of youth have been detained since past week across Srinagar.
“Not only youth but minors have also been detained,” he said.
