Srinagar, December 22, 2012: The policemen arrested a young girl during house raid from her house in southern district Islamabad (Anantnag) on charges of participation of protesting against the atrocities of Indian paramilitary forces during mass agitation in 2010 in Kashmir.
Police claimed that the girl, Zahida Akhtar, a resident of Boateng village of Khanbal in Islamabad (Anantnag) district, has participated on stone pelting and anti-India protest during the 2010 street protests, which had Kashmir on a boil for around five months.
The 2010 protests were triggered after a youth was killed in police action in June in Srinagar.
Akhtar was arrested on Friday December 21, 2012 and lodged in Sadar Police station in Islamabad (Anantnag), 60 km south of Srinagar.
"The police visited our house on Thursday and were looking for her. We assured the police to bring her to the police station next day. When we took her to the police station, she was arrested. We don't know why she is held," said Adil Ahmad Dar, brother of Akhtar who runs a cosmetic shop.
The police had booked Akhtar on fake charges on under Section 148, rioting with deadly weapon; 149, participation in an unlawful assembly; 355, use of force with criminal intent; 336, endangering life of a person, of the Ranbir Penal Code in an FIR.
Akhtar's father Ghulam Ahmad Dar said her daughter received a Indian troops bullet in right leg when she was part of the funeral of victim Maroof Ahmad Nath, a local youth who jumped into a river and died, after Indian paramilitary forces and dreaded Special Operation Group chased him in September 2010. Two youth died when Indian paramilitary forces fired upon the crowd carrying the body of Maroof Ahmad Nath.
"She was a bystander. Everyone was protesting against the killing of Maroof Ahmad Nath. In 2010, every resident of the district and Kashmir valley was protesting, why are they after my daughter only? And why after two years?" asked Dar, a farmer by profession. The family said Akhtar is a school dropout and is on medication. The Indian army’s bullet has already crippled her life," said Adil.
There are more than 3,000 pending cases against youth across the valley for their participation in 2010 protests, around 1,000 face severe charges, a police officer said.