Govt employees, separatists, youth booked for participating in anti-India protests, stone pelting
After the outbreak of unrest in the Valley on July 8, police have registered over 2200 cases against people including separatist leaders, youth and government employees to end the protests and restore normalcy.
Police have resorted to arrest spree in over three months of unrest in the Valley to prevent people, especially youth from participating and leading anti-India rallies and restore normalcy.
According to a senior police official, a total of 2200 cases have been registered in different police stations against the people including youth and separatist leaders and workers for disturbing peace in the Valley.
“Though number of people involved in fomenting trouble was much larger but we have arrested only 2400 persons. Out of these 1600-1700 were set free after being advised to improve their behavior,” he said.
The officials said over 700 people continue to be under detention while others were released on bail by the courts.
However, sources in police said more than 7000 people have been arrested in last 93 days in the Valley.
They said many others are being detained in police stations without being charged by the police.
Sources said among the people against whom cases have been registered include the government employees, who have been booked for instigating the stone pelting.
They said police has also compiled a fresh list of people, who indulged in incidents of stone-pelting and lead anti-India rallies.
“Police is conducting raids across the Valley, especially in South Kashmir, to pick up the youth involved in stone pelting and fomenting trouble,” sources said.
They said large number of people have been arrested in South Kashmir districts of Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Pulwama while many who figure in the police list have gone into hiding.
According to officials, youth have been booked for vitiating the peaceful’ atmosphere in Valley.
“Some of them had been indulging in incidents of stone pelting and were found to be linked with the separatists. They have been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA),” they said.
A top police official said while a large number of youth have been involved in stone pelting incidents for the first time, others were found regularly participating in pro-freedom rallies.
“The concerned district magistrates have filed the PSA cases against the youth, who have been indulging in stone-pelting incidents regularly,’’ he said.
DIG North Kashmir range, Uttam Chand, said the arrests have also been carried out in Kupwara and Baramulla.
“We have identified the youth, who were regularly indulging in stone pelting. Many of them have gone into hiding,” he said adding the police drive against stone pelters continues.
In some of the rural areas, people are maintaining night vigil to prevent police from arresting the youth.
