KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
With separatist and unionist parties in one voice demanding release of all the arrested youth of South Kashmir detained during protests over murder of Zahid Rasool Bhat by Hindu extremists at Udhampur, police say the youth, most of them teenagers, will be released only after putting them through proper counselling and getting “written assures from their parents” about their non-involvement in such activities in future.
Talking to KNS, IGP Kashmir Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani said that about 36 boys were arrested in South Kashmir. “All these boys who might be around 36 were involved in stone-pelting activities and in creating trouble in the area. We have not invoked any charges against them till now. We are counselling all these boys and get written assurances from their parents about their non-involvement of these boys in such activities in future. After that we will be releasing all these boys in few days,” he said.
Gillani added that counselling is used by police “as a strategy to motivate the youth from not getting involved in anti-law activity”. “The strategy has already worked in Srinagar and other parts of Valley where large number of youth were motivated not to get involved in such activities,” he said.
Meanwhile all the separatists groups have been vehemently demanding release of such boys. PPDP senior leader Peer Hussain and other unionist politicians have also asked for the release of all the detained youth.
