Families await release of protesters on Eid
FIFTEEN PEOPLE WERE INJURED THREE DAYS AGO WHEN PROTESTERS CLASHED WITH SECURITY PERSONNEL AFTER 12 IN NIGHT
SRINAGAR: A resident of the old city’s Saraf Kadal area, Saima Jan, a student, after her afternoon prayers in Jamia Masjid on Friday said she is yet to shop for upcoming Eid because her 16-year-old brother is behind the bars for 13 days now.
“Our house was raided 13 days ago as a militant commander was to be arrested. They detained my brother Sajid Ahmad and is not releasing him,” Jan told the Hindustan Times as she takes a narrow alley near the grand mosque to reach her home to know about status of her brother.
Ahmad along with 42 other stone-pelters, mainly students and salesman, was picked up by the Nowhatta and Maharaj Gunj police stations.
Shahid Khan (name changed) teenaged brother was arrested after being spotted on the film shot by the security personnel of the stone-pelting.
Since morning, the families lined up after the police stations with the home that their kin would be released. “Even if Sajid is released after 4pm, we can still do Eid shopping. Our Eid is only if our brother joins us. We are told that he will be released. We are waiting for him. He is innocent and has to appear in Class 10 exams soon,” said Jan, who has two other sisters, and Ahmad is only brother. For several weeks now, Jamia Masjid in Srinagar has once again become hotspot of protests, where protesters raise anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.
The security forces are having a tough time in identifying the protesters behind unfurling of pro-Taliban, pro-ISIS and pro-Pakistan flags. Every Friday stone throwing starts after prayers and lasts till dusk.
Fifteen people were injured just three days back when protesters clashed with security personnel after 12 in the night.
In the last week of June, separatists were piqued when a smoke shell landed inside the premises of the mosque, which sparked shutdown and street protests.
“Every Friday we shut windows because security forces hurl pepper grenades into narrow alleys. It chokes. My grandfather fainted after inhaling the gas,” said Nazeer Ahmad, a resident of Nowhatta.
Even on F riday, a hug e Pakistan flag was unfurled and waved by the protesters in an attempt to challenge security forces.
The police are in no mood to allow the stone-throwers home on Eid.
“Action is being t a ke n against anyone who is found violating the law and disturbing the law and order situation. Police arrest the person who is found involved in stone pelting. It is later the legal process of the each case to certify whether the detainee are under 18 or above that age group,” said Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir Syed Javeed Mujtaba Gilani.He said the police are taking action as per the law. “There is no proposal to free the youth ahead of Eid, who were detained earlier for pelting stones during protests,” he added.
In view of separatists’ protest call, the authorities are deploying additional security personnel to monitor the situation closely.
Officers have been directed not to leave the headquarters without the prior permission of the higher authorities.