KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Accusing Jammu Kashmir Police of ‘harassment and annoyance’ locals from Palhallan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district Monday said that Police have launched a major crackdown against the youth and from past few days more than 40 youth on “false” charges of stone-pelting have been picked up during nocturnal and broad-day light raids in the town, creating scare among the residents.
“Palhallan looks to be ghost town where youth are scared of venturing out from their houses. Police have been resorting to random arrests and we appeal the Police Chief to put an end to this nuisance,” locals in Palhallan told CNS.
They identified some the arrested youth as Showkat Ahmed Gojri, Nazir Ahmed, Imran Ahmed Ahangar, Jan Muhammad, Parvez Ahmed Gojri, Nazir Ahmed Gojri, Muhammad Lateef Khan and Abdul Aziz Dar.
“The height of repression and lawlessness is that uncles and fathers of some of the youth evading arrests have been picked up and lodged in different police stations,” the locals added.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla District, Mir Imtiyaz Hussain said that police would continue action against the youth involved in stone pelting.
“We have arrested some youth who we have video-graphed to be involved in stone pelting incidents on routine basis in the town. There are more arrests to come,” he said adding all the arrested ‘stone-pelters’ have been booked under relevant sections of the law.
Another Police Official on condition of anonymity said that Police are continuously analysing the “video-clips in order to identify the stone-pelters responsible for the disruption of peace and order in Palhallan and Pattan areas”. “We ensure that no innocent gets trapped and every arrest is made after proper assessment and visualization,” he said adding that more than hundred youth are involved in recent stone-pelting incidents in these town areas.
“I don’t have actual numbers lying with me about the arrests we have made so far, but we are conducting raids and stone-pelters have been picked up from Palhallan area. We have also identified some more miscreants and they will be arrested soon,” he said.
