Srinagar, Aug 29: Several youth who have been arrested in different police raids and booked for staging pro-freedom protests have informed the court that they were ruthlessly tortured in custody.
On August 21, police arrested seven youth from Nundreshi Colony, Bemina, in a crackdown. Police later registered FIR 105/2010 against them with charges under section 307, 147, 148, 336 & 427 RPC, which pertain to attempt to murder, rioting and damaging public property.
 On August 25, all the seven youth through their counsel Muhammad Ashraf Dar filed an application before the Court seeking release on bail. Subsequently, Court directed the SHO Batamaloo to release them. But two youth out of seven, Shahid Yaqoob Makaya and Umar Ashraf Shiekh, were not released.
 Police has presented the duo before the court seeking their remand. Their counsel said even after Court ordered their release on bail, the police did not release the duo. Police was not honouring the court directives, which is sheer contempt of court, he said.
 He submitted before the court that the two had been booked in another false FIR. He said that police was torturing them in custody. “Police was asking them money for their release,” he said.
 The detainees shouted outside the court that they were scared in police station. “Please send us to Central Jail,” they said. Shahid said he was working in New Delhi and had few days back come to Kashmir. Ummar said he was reciting Qu’ran when police barged into his house and dragged him out.
 After hearing the submission of Counsel, Court has directed the SHO to file report citing reasons that why the duo was not released. Court asked police to inform it whether any other FIR was pending against the two youth.
 In another incident of police action, two brothers Owais Ahmad Zargar and Younis Ahmad Zargar of Barzulla were dragged out from their house. They were presented before the court by police recently and were sent to three days of police remand. The duo informed court that they were ruthlessly tortured by the police in custody. Younis said, “On Wednesday evening, police barged into our house and picked us up. In custody, they tortured us ruthlessly.”
 Counsel for the duo, Mir Shafaqat Hussain, said the duo were innocent and had been booked under serious charges of rioting.
 After these youth came out of the court, the Bar Association members shouted slogans against police and demanded their release.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST