Srinagar, Aug 22: Unfazed by the scorching heat, Rafiqa Begum of Mehjoor Nagar was eagerly awaiting outside the Police Station Sadder here since morning to seek release of her 16-year old son, Omar Saleem, who was detained in a fresh arrest spree by police on Sunday.
 Like Rafiqa, scores of anxious relatives had gathered outside various Police Stations in uptown here, pleading the innocence of their arrested wards. But there was nobody to hear their requests. They accused the police of implicating their dear ones in false cases. 
 “My son was selling fruit near Solina when police bundled him in a gypsy. They have kept him in lock-up. He is innocent and has never participated in protests,” Rafiqa said and broke down.
 Seeing her condition, her husband, Muhammad Subhan tried to force his way into the Police Station. “What crime has my son committed?” he shouted at the cops. But he only received abuses, fist cuffs and was pushed towards the road. Before he could say anything else, aged Muhammad Sultan Dendroo guided him away from the spot.
 “These policemen are ruthless. They don’t have mercy on us even in this holy month. They arrested my only son Muhammad Shafi without any provocation. He was selling fruit. Nobody listens to our plea. We are too poor to influence the police to release our wards. We can only pray to God to help us,” Dendroo said.
 Muhammad Younis, a fruit dealer said his salesman Waseem Dagga was arrested while he was unloading fruit from his three-wheeler. “Had he committed anything wrong, I would have been the first person to hand him over to police. But this is sheer harassment that police has resorted to arbitrary arrests for maintaining the so-called law and order,” he fumed.
 Manzoor Ahmad of Bemina said police is seeking custody of a Hurriyat activist in exchange of release of his relative Shahid Yaqoob who was arrested yesterday. 
 “They have made him hostage for only a crime that the Hurriyat activist lives in his locality. Is this a crime?” he questioned as more youth arrested from uptown localities were herded in the lawns of the Police Station
 Some parents preferring anonymity said police arrested mostly the street vendors today as they failed to grease their palms. “The cops have threatened to book our wards under PSA if we failed to pay them hefty amounts. These acts by police will increase alienation against them. We will be forced to take to streets against this discrimination and are ready to face any consequences,” they added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST