KL Report
Protests erupted in old city’s Nowhatta area on Thursday morning when the news that a Class 10 student was arrested and slapped with the Public Safety Act by Jammu and Kashmir police, spread in the locality.
The family of the arrested, Haris Rashid, a resident of Malik Sahab, Jamia Masjid, alleged that he was called to appear at police station Nowhatta some 18 days ago for counseling and rehabilitation but he was not allowed to leave thereafter. The police however said there are seven FIR’s registered against Haris from 2008 and 2012 in police station Khanyar and Nowhatta.
Dozens of protestors took to streets in Nowhatta area of old city and shouted slogans against police. The protesters were accusing police of deceiving the youth in the name of rehabilitation and counseling programs. Protesters included the family members and relatives of Haris Rashid who has been shifted to a jail in Jammu yesterday.
SP North, Tahir Saleem confirmed shifting of Haris to somewhere in Jammu and said, “Seven cases are registered against Haris in the Nowhatta and Khanyar police stations”. Haris’s date of birth falls on 10th September 1994 according to his school records, he said. His family members said Haris had appeared in Class 10 examination last year but he had failed.
A police spokesman said they have actually booked two stone pelters under PSA and sent them to Kot Balwal in Jammu. They were identified as Sajad Ahmad Geelani resident of Pandaan, Nowhatta and Haaris Ahmad Langoo resident of Gojwara. Sajad Ahmad Geelani, he said, is involved in case FIR Number 27/10, 54/11, 60/11, 38/12 54/10, 78/2008 of Police Station Khanyar. Haaris Ahmad Langoo is involved in case FIR Numbers 47/10,54/11,55/11,53/12,38/12 in Police Station Khanyar.
The date of birth of Haaris Ahmad Langoo as per BOSE is 10 September, 1994 and that of Sajad Ahmad Geelani is 1 April , 1991.
