‘Give youth an opportunity to begin their lives afresh and live as productive citizens’
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged the Home Department and the police to expedite the review of the cases of youths booked on the charges of stone-throwing between 2008 and 2014 so that those who had taken to the wrong path inadvertently get an opportunity to restart their normal lives.
At a meeting on reforms in the prisons in the state here today, the Chief Minister said, “The Home Department and the police should expedite the process of taking a holistic review of the cases registered against the youths between 2008 and 2014 for stone-throwing and decide on merit how many of such cases can be withdrawn to give these young boys an opportunity to begin their lives afresh and live as productive citizens.”
She also sought a report, within two days, about the nine youths who are lodged in various jails in cases pertaining to stone-throwing.
The Chief Minister asked the Director General Police to take up the matter regarding deportation of a deaf and dumb and mentally-challenged Pakistani national who is lodged in a jail in the state for having accidentally crossed the Line of Control. “Why has he been kept in the jail for so long when not only he is deaf and dumb, but mentally challenged also,” she asked, adding the state and law enforcing agencies shouldn’t be seen acting in such a callous manner. They should be more humane in their approach while dealing with cases of such persons, she added. Mehbooba also stressed on the need to review and upgrade the Jail Manual. She said it should be aimed at making the prisons centres of reformation, and not the places of punishment.
She also called for identification of an alternative site on the periphery of Srinagar city for shifting of Central Jail from its existing location in Kathidarwaza. She asked the Director General Prisons to coordinate with the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, for identification of a site and come up with a report within seven days.
