Srinagar June 24: Police have arrested nearly 100 youth from different parts of the Srinagar city and some other parts of the Valley for their alleged involvement in stone-pelting, sources told Greater Kashmir on Thursday.
They said that police have conducted series of raids in different areas of the old city during the past 48-hours and have rounded up scores of youth – in the age group of 18 to 22 years - whom it believes are involved in stone-pelting. “We have arrested only those youth whose images have been captured by our videographers. We have got enough evidence to prove that arrested youth are involved in stone-pelting,” a top police official said.
He said that FIR has been registered against most of the arrested youth and they would be presented before the court.
However, family members of the arrested youth accused police of harassing them and their wards “unnecessarily.” “It seems police is out to prove a point and settle some scores with the people. Youth are being arrested at will and they are being detained on flimsy ground,” said Farooq Ahmed (name changed) whose son has been detained in old city.
Despite repeated attempts Senior Superintendent of Police Ashiq Bukhari could not be contacted.
Meanwhile, reports from Sopur and Varmul in north Kashmir said the police have arrested more than 20-youths in connection with stone pelting.
HUNT ON FOR MASARAT

Police has launched a hunt to locate the Hurriyat Conference leaders, including Masarat Alam and others, who announced a fresh protest programme on Thursday during a press conference.
Sources said a hunt has been launched in the areas of the old city here to arrest Alam, who was recently released after court quashed the Public Safety Orders slapped on him for the sixth time in two years. They said police has zeroed in on the house where Alam with other members of the Hurriyat addressed a press conference. They said the inmates of the house were also picked up for questioning by police.
Authorities have launched a crackdown on the separatists and have arrested several of them during the past few days. The Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Geelani was booked under PSA on Wednesday and lodged at a subsidiary Jail at Cheshmashahi.
Pertinently, government booked the chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah under Public Safety Act (PSA) on Wednesday for making “provocative statements” and instigating youth.
Police have also arrested at least 40 other separatist leaders and activists during the past two days.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST