Srinagar, June 23, 2012: Family members of the youth arrested by the police in south Kashmir Islamabad (Anantnag) town staged a sit-in outside the police station on Saturday. Policemen have detained at least 11 persons including four minors in sourtthern town Islamabad (Anantnag) on June 19. The locals said after clashes between police and youth on June 19 during the rally organized by Ummat-i-Islami to commemorate 18th martyrdrum anniversary of party’s founder and prominent scholar, Dr Qazi Nisar Ahmad, police launched a crackdown on youth and have detained at least 11 youth so far. They said that four minors were among the detained.
“My nephew (Rafiq Malik son of Muhamad Rafiq Malik of Soibugh in Budgam) had gone to his father’s shop in Cheeni Chowk area of the town on June 19 to deliver some goods at the shop. We later came to know that he was arrested and booked under Section 147, 148, 149, 336, 152 and unlawful activities Act. We were not allowed by police to meet him,” said Mohammad Rafiq Malik’s uncle.
Three of the minors detained by police have been identified as 16 year old Ishan Amin Bhat son of Mohammad Amin Bhat of Cheeni Chowk, 16 year old Irfan Ahmad Sheikh - Shah son of Abdul Aziz Sheikh -Shah a 10th standard student of Reban Yaripora and 17 year old Zahid Shafi Wagay son of Mohammad Shafi Wagay of Arwani.
A close relative of Zahid Shafi said his sister is getting married tomorrow. “He is just 17 years old and isn’t it unlawful to book him under notorious acts,” he said and demanded his immediate and unconditional release.
Some complained that minor boys detained by police are living in sub human conditions inside the lockup, said report of one Journalist Suhail A Shah in Islamabad.
“The lock up inside Police Station is so small that it is difficult to breathe for even two or three people kept together there. Police have lodged more than 12 boys in the lock-up. They are being deprived of proper food. The guards tell them that they should wait for Munshi’s permission before taking any food,” said father of a minor boy.
Demanding immediate release of their wards, the relatives of various minors detained by the police on charges of stone pelting Tuesday last in South Kashmir town of Islamabad (Anantnag) Saturday held a protest demonstration outside a Police station, saying police was implicating them on frivolous charges.’
Amid sloganeering “we want justice, Hamaray Bachon Ko Reha Karo, (Release our children), the family members of the detainees staged a sit-in protest outside the Saddar Police Station. They said that the police was not even providing them the case report since they have been detained on Tuesday last on June 19.
“I am frustrated, I don’t know what to do. I want to see my son,” a crying mother said.
“Despite court directions the police refused to provide us the report copy since Wednesday so that we can move a bail application in the court,” one of the family members, Zahida said.
Police had detained eleven persons including Chairman, Umat-I-Islami, Qazi Ahmad Yasir and President Umat-e-Islami's Tableeghi wing Sarjan Barkati, reports one journalist Nazir Ganaie in Srinagar.
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Police charged the youth for involvement in stone pelting incidents on Tuesday. However, the family members of the arrested persons contest the police claims saying that they are innocent and are being falsely implicated. The family members of four arrested persons also claim that they were minors.
Father of one of one of the minor, Muhamad Rafiq Malik of Soibugh in Budgam said that his son is only 16 years of age.
“I own a shop in the Reshi Bazar area of the town and my son had come to visit me as I had asked him to bring along few shawls for my customers. He was not part of the protest and was rounded up by the police and charged with serious offences,” Muhamad Ramzan Malik said.
He said that they have been moving from pillar to post for justice but to no avail. “We have been requesting the police to provide us the copy of the report since Wednesday morning so that we can move a bail application in the court but they had been denying us the same without any reason. Only today we were provided the report after we protested outside the Police Station,” Malik added.
He alleged that in order to prolong the “illegal detention” of his minor son police provided them the report which was not bearing a stamp and after the Prosecution noticed it they had to approach the concerned police station again for the report.
While as another father of a detained minor, Muhammad Ramzan, carrying the Date of Birth (DOB) certificate and FIR copy of his son, Ramzan said, “ I was shocked to learn about the offences my son has been charged. My son is studying in 11th standard and is barely 16 but has been charged with serious offences”.
Rafiq has been booked under FIR.no 197/ 2012 US 147, 148,149,336, 152 RPC and 13 Unlawful Activities Act (ULA). “The police told us to meet the police officials for seeking the report but there we were asked to get appointment from Police Control Room (PCR) first. Is this the law government talks about? They force us to different ways,” Ramzan said.
He said that that Rafiq’s mother passed away when he was barely 10 and he was dear to him. Parents of another detainee, Zahid Shafi Wagay of Reban, Yaripora also said that their son was a minor. Zahids elder sister, according to his family is getting married on Sunday.
“My daughter is getting married on Sunday and we have been making rounds of courts and police stations in Islamabad town,” father of Zahid, Muhamad Shafi Wagay, said. Showing the DOB of his son, Wagay claimed that he was only 17 and is a 12th standard student. Another minor who has been detained by police include Irfan Ahmad Shah S/O Abdul Aziz Shah aged 16 of Reban, Yaripora. Irfan reportedly is a 10th standard student.
Ishan Amin Bhat S/O Muhammad Amin Bhat of Cheeni Chowk, Islamabad according to his family members is only 15 and a student of 9th standard. They have also been charged of the same offences as that of Rafiq. “We just want our see our dear ones with us, nothing else,” said a crying mother.