‘Majority of youth face police torture before joining militant ranks’
Taking strong notice of the arrest of six students of Pampore area by the police and not allowing them to appear in their exams, Chairman Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani Tuesday said the police in a planned manner is ‘destroying the career of youth.’
He said by ‘pushing them (youth) to the wall, the state administration is forcing Kashmiri youth to abandon the colleges and universities.’
Geelani appealed the local and international human rights organizations to take serious notice of the issue and use their influence in their release.
In a statement, Geelani expressed deep concern and anguish over this serious episode and said the students namely Muteeb Malik (Drangbal), Imran Ahmad Koundu (Kadlabal), Adil Hameed Dar, Uzair Bashir Khanday, Parvaiz Ahmad Akhoon and Tabish Bhat (Namblabal Pampore) were arrested by the police naka party at Sempora on December 04 when they were traveling towards Srinagar in a Tavera car.
The arrested youth were first detained at Pantha Chowk police station and then shifted to Safakadal, Khanyar and Nawhatta police stations where they were abused and put to third degree torture, Geelani alleged.
He said according to reports received, one of the arrested students Muteeb Malik was scheduled to appear in the practical exams on December 05 while Imran Ahmad Koundu had to appear in his 11th standard exams on December 08.
Demanding immediate release of the arrested youth, Geelani said the police was yet to give reasons of their arrest and ‘torture’. He said that whatever were the reasons of their arrest but police should have allowed them to appear in their exams. “This is a serious issue which should be condemned at every level,” Geelani added.
Hurriyat (G) chairman said the reason behind the students of Jammu & Kashmir abandoning schools, colleges and universities and picking up gun is the ‘rigid approach of India, its arrogance of power and the excesses of the government forces on common people.’
“This is the story of most of the students who have joined the militant ranks so far. Most of them faced third degree torture at the hands government forces after which they took the path of the brave people,” Geelani claimed.
Demanding immediate release of all the arrested students of Pampore, Geelani said this issue will be brought into the notice of the human rights organizations and their professional responsibility is that they will use their influence for their (students’) release.
