Kupwara: The civil society in this north Kashmir district on Tuesday cautioned government to release all the boys detained during the funeral of Hizb commander Mannan Bashir Wani or else face agitation.
Reports reaching Global News Service (GNS) said that a delegation of senior members of the civil society called upon SHO Sogam here and demanded the release of all the youth, even from south Kashmir, who were arrested either during Mannan Wani’s funeral or on their way to Tikipora last week.
Among the boys arrested are Tawseef Ahmad Mir, Arif Ahmad Reshi,Muzaffar Ahmad Dar all residents of Butgund Tral, Zahid Ahmad Dar, Asif Ahmad Rather of Budgam and Bilal Ahmad Dar and Aijaz Ahmad Dar, both from Awantipora.
Police have filed a case FIR number 80/2018 under sections 147,148, 149, 336, 352 and 13 unlawful activities act against them.
Besides these seven, over twenty more boys continue to remain in police custody.
“We told the SHO that fuel is being added to the fire by making arrests and keeping innocent youth behind the bars. We told him if the situation has remained peaceful, why was police hell-bent on making it bad,” a senior citizen, who was part of the delegation, told GNS.
He said that civil society members also informed the police officer that a massive agitation will be launched if the innocent youth, most of them from other parts of Kashmir were not released at the earliest.
The senior citizen said that the locals have demonstrated utmost restraint in the aftermath of Mannan Wani’s killing. He said the police should realised that the situation didn’t go out of hands as they were expecting.
“We even collected an FIR copy to seek the release of the youth. However, the judge was not available at the court. We won’t sit silently until all boys are free,” he said.
Meanwhile, a police officer told GNS that the boys booked under various offences can only be released on a court bail. (GNS)
